Isaiah 55
1 Ho, every one of ye that thirsteth, come ye to the water, and he too that hath no money: come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy without money and without price wine and milk.
“Come, everyone who is thirsty, come to the water, and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.
2 Wherefore will ye spend money for what is not bread? and your labor for what satisfieth not? hearken then unto me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
Why do you weigh out silver for what is not bread, and why do you labor for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in fatness.
3 Incline your ear, and come unto me, hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, the promised mercies of David, which are sure.
Turn your ears and come to me! Listen, that you may live! I will make an everlasting covenant with you—my reliable, faithful love that I promised to David.
4 Behold, for a lawgiver unto the people have I appointed him, a prince and commander to the people.
Look, I have placed him as a witness to the nations, as a leader and commander to the peoples.
5 Behold, a nation thou knowest not shalt thou call, and a nation that knew thee not shall run unto thee; for the sake of the Lord thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel, for he hath glorified thee.
Look, you will call to a nation that you did not know; and a nation that did not know you will run to you because of Yahweh your God, the Holy One of Israel, who has glorified you.”
6 Seek ye the Lord, while he may be found, call ye on him, while he is near.
Seek Yahweh while he may be found; call on him while he is nearby.
7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the man of unrighteousness his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and unto our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Let the wicked leave his path, and the man of sin his thoughts. Let him return to Yahweh, and he will pity him, and to our God, who will abundantly forgive him.
8 For not my thoughts are your thoughts, and not your ways are my ways, saith the Lord.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways—this is Yahweh's declaration—
9 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways, and my thoughts above 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 For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and return not thither, but water the earth, and render it fruitful, and cause it to bring forth plants; and give seed to the sower and bread to him that eateth:
For as the rain and snow come down from heaven and do not return there unless they saturate the earth and make it produce and sprout and give seed to the farmer who sows and bread to the eater,
11 So shall ever be my word which goeth forth from my mouth, it shall not return unto me without effect; but it accomplisheth what I desire, and it prospereth in that whereto I have sent it.
so also my word will be that goes from my mouth—it will not return to me empty, but it will achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
12 For in joy shall ye go out, and in peace shall ye be brought home: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into song, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
For you will go out in joy and be led along peacefully; the mountains and the hills will break out in joyful shouts before you, and all the trees of the fields will clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir-tree, and instead of the nettle shall come up the myrtle; and it shall be unto the Lord for a name, for a sign of everlasting that shall not be cut off.
Instead of the thornbushes, the cypress will grow; and instead of the brier, the myrtle tree will grow, and it will be for Yahweh, for his name, as an everlasting sign that will not be cut off.”
