Isaiah 55
1 Come, everyone of you who's thirsty, come and drink the water! You who don't have money, come—you can buy and eat! Come and buy wine and milk—you don't need money; there's no cost!
Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters! Even ye that have no money, come ye, buy and eat! Yea, come, buy wine and milk, Without money and without price.
2 Why are you spending money on what isn't food, and why work for something that doesn't satisfy you? Listen carefully to me: eat what is good, and you'll enjoy the very best food.
Wherefore do ye spend your money for that which is not bread, And your substance for that which doth not satisfy? Listen attentively to me; so shall ye eat that which is good, And your soul shall delight itself with delicacies.
3 Come here, and pay attention, so you can truly live. I'm going to make an agreement with you that will last forever, based on the trustworthy love I showed to David.
Incline your ear, and come to me; Hear, and your soul shall live! And I will make with you an everlasting covenant; I will give you the sure mercies of David.
4 See how I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for them.
Behold, I gave him for a commander to the nations; For a prince, and a lawgiver to the nations.
5 You will call nations you don't even know, and nations who don't know you will come running to you. For the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, I made you glorious.
Behold, the nation which thou knowest not thou shalt call; And the nation which knew not thee shall run to thee, For the sake of Jehovah, thy God, And of the Holy One of Israel, for he hath glorified thee.
6 Look for the Lord while you can still find him; call out to him while he's nearby.
Seek ye Jehovah, while he may be found; Call upon him while he is near;
7 Wicked people should change their ways and get rid of even the thought of doing something wrong. They should turn to the Lord so he can be merciful to them. Come back to our God, because he's generous with his forgiveness.
Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to Jehovah, and he will have mercy upon him, And to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
8 For your thoughts are not my thoughts; and your ways are not my ways, declares the Lord.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, Neither are your ways my ways, saith Jehovah.
9 In the same way the heavens are higher than the earth, my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are my ways higher than your ways, And my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 It's like the rain and snow that fall from heaven. They don't go back there until they've watered the earth, making plants grow and flower, providing seeds for the sower and food to eat.
For as the rain and the snow descend from heaven, And return not thither, But water the earth, and make it bear and put forth its increase, That it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater;
11 In the same way the words I say don't come back to me unfulfilled, they accomplish what I want—they successfully achieve my purpose.
So shall my word be, that goeth forth from my mouth; It shall not return to me void; But it shall bring to pass that which is my pleasure, And it shall accomplish that for which I send it.
12 You will live happily, taught the ways of peace. Mountains and hills will celebrate, singing beside you; and all the trees will clap their hands!
For ye shall go out with joy And be led forth with peace; The mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13 Cypress trees will grow instead of thorn bushes; myrtle trees will grow instead of brambles. This is to confirm the Lord's reputation—an everlasting sign, never to be destroyed.
Instead of the thorn shall grow up the cypress-tree, And instead of the bramble shall grow up the myrtle-tree, And it shall be to Jehovah for a name; For an everlasting memorial, that shall not pass away.
