< Isaiah 1 >
1 A vision of Isaiah, the sonne of Amoz, which he sawe concerning Iudah and Ierusalem: in the dayes of Vzziah, Iotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah Kings of Iudah.
The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
2 Heare, O heauens, and hearken, O earth: for the Lord hath sayde, I haue nourished and brought vp children, but they haue rebelled against me.
Hear, heavens, and listen, earth; for the LORD has spoken: “I have nourished and brought up children and they have rebelled against me.
3 The oxe knoweth his owner, and the asse his masters crib: but Israel hath not knowen: my people hath not vnderstand.
The ox knows his owner, and the donkey his master’s crib; but Israel does not know. My people do not consider.”
4 Ah, sinfull nation, a people laden with iniquitie: a seede of the wicked, corrupt children: they haue forsaken the Lord: they haue prouoked the holy one of Israel to anger: they are gone backewarde.
Ah sinful nation, a people loaded with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the LORD. They have despised the Holy One of Israel. They are estranged and backward.
5 Wherefore shoulde ye be smitten any more? for ye fall away more and more: the whole head is sicke, and the whole heart is heauie.
Why should you be beaten more, that you revolt more and more? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.
6 From the sole of the foote vnto the head, there is nothing whole therein, but wounds, and swelling, and sores full of corruption: they haue not bene wrapped, nor bound vp, nor mollified with oyle.
From the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness in it, but wounds, welts, and open sores. They have not been closed, bandaged, or soothed with oil.
7 Your land is waste: your cities are burnt with fire: strangers deuoure your lande in your presence, and it is desolate like the ouerthrowe of strangers.
Your country is desolate. Your cities are burned with fire. Strangers devour your land in your presence and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.
8 And the daughter of Zion shall remaine like a cotage in a vineyarde, like a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, and like a besieged citie.
The daughter of Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard, like a hut in a field of melons, like a besieged city.
9 Except the Lord of hostes had reserued vnto vs, euen a small remnant: we should haue bene as Sodom, and should haue bene like vnto Gomorah.
Unless the LORD of Armies had left to us a very small remnant, we would have been as Sodom. We would have been like Gomorrah.
10 Heare the worde of the Lord, O princes of Sodom: hearken vnto the Law of our God, O people of Gomorah.
Hear the LORD’s word, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah!
11 What haue I to doe with the multitude of your sacrifices, sayth the Lord? I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and of the fat of fed beasts: and I desire not the blood of bullocks, nor of lambs, nor of goates.
“What are the multitude of your sacrifices to me?”, says the LORD. “I have had enough of the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed animals. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of male goats.
12 When ye come to appeare before me, who required this of your hands to tread in my courts?
When you come to appear before me, who has required this at your hand, to trample my courts?
13 Bring no more oblations, in vaine: incense is an abomination vnto me: I can not suffer your newe moones, nor Sabbaths, nor solemne dayes (it is iniquitie) nor solemne assemblies.
Bring no more vain offerings. Incense is an abomination to me. New moons, Sabbaths, and convocations— I cannot stand evil assemblies.
14 My soule hateth your newe moones and your appointed feastes: they are a burden vnto me: I am weary to beare them.
My soul hates your New Moons and your appointed feasts. They are a burden to me. I am weary of bearing them.
15 And when you shall stretch out your hands, I wil hide mine eyes from you: and though ye make many prayers, I wil not heare: for your hands are full of blood.
When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you. Yes, when you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood.
16 Wash you, make you cleane: take away the euill of your workes from before mine eyes: cease to doe euill.
Wash yourselves. Make yourself clean. Put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes. Cease to do evil.
17 Learne to doe well: seeke iudgement, relieue the oppressed: iudge the fatherlesse and defend the widowe.
Learn to do well. Seek justice. Relieve the oppressed. Defend the fatherless. Plead for the widow.”
18 Come nowe, and let vs reason together, sayth the Lord: though your sinnes were as crimsin, they shalbe made white as snowe: though they were red like skarlet, they shalbe as wooll.
“Come now, and let’s reason together,” says the LORD: “Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
19 If ye consent and obey, ye shall eate the good things of the land.
If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good of the land;
20 But if ye refuse and be rebellious, ye shalbe deuoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.
but if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured with the sword; for the LORD’s mouth has spoken it.”
21 Howe is the faithfull citie become an harlot? it was full of iudgement, and iustice lodged therein, but now they are murtherers.
How the faithful city has become a prostitute! She was full of justice. Righteousness lodged in her, but now there are murderers.
22 Thy siluer is become drosse: thy wine is mixt with water.
Your silver has become dross, your wine mixed with water.
23 Thy Princes are rebellious and companions of theeues: euery one loueth giftes, and followeth after rewards: they iudge not the fatherlesse, neither doeth the widowes cause come before them.
Your princes are rebellious and companions of thieves. Everyone loves bribes and follows after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, neither does the cause of the widow come to them.
24 Therefore sayth the Lord God of hostes, the mightie one of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine aduersaries, and auenge me of mine enemies.
Therefore the Lord, GOD of Armies, the Mighty One of Israel, says: “Ah, I will get relief from my adversaries, and avenge myself on my enemies.
25 Then I will turne mine hand vpon thee, and burne out thy drosse, till it be pure, and take away all thy tinne.
I will turn my hand on you, thoroughly purge away your dross, and will take away all your tin.
26 And I will restore thy iudges as at the first, and thy counsellers as at the beginning: afterward shalt thou be called a citie of righteousnes, and a faithfull citie.
I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called ‘The city of righteousness, a faithful town.’
27 Zion shall be redeemed in iudgement, and they that returne in her, in iustice.
Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and her converts with righteousness.
28 And the destruction of the transgressers and of the sinners shalbe together: and they that forsake the Lord, shalbe consumed.
But the destruction of transgressors and sinners shall be together, and those who forsake the LORD shall be consumed.
29 For they shalbe confounded for the okes, which ye haue desired, and ye shall be ashamed of the gardens, that ye haue chosen.
For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which you have desired, and you shall be confounded for the gardens that you have chosen.
30 For ye shalbe as an oke, whose leafe fadeth: and as a garden that hath no water.
For you shall be as an oak whose leaf fades, and as a garden that has no water.
31 And the strong shall be as towe, and the maker thereof, as a sparke: and they shall both burne together, and none shall quench them.
The strong will be like tinder, and his work like a spark. They will both burn together, and no one will quench them.”