Isaiah 1
1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of 'Uzziyahu, Jotham, Achaz, and Hezekiah, the kings of Judah.
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 Hear, O ye heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the Lord hath spoken: Children have I nourished and brought up, but they have 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 ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.
The ox knows his owner, and the donkey his master’s crib; but Israel doesn’t know. My people don’t consider.”
4 Woe! sinful nation, people laden with iniquity, seed of evil-doers, children that are corrupt: they have forsaken the Lord, they have incensed the Holy One of Israel, they are departed backward.
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 Why will ye be stricken yet more? [that] ye increase the revolt? every head is sick, and every heart is faint.
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 foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores: they have not been closed, nor bound up, nor mollified with oil.
From the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness in it, but wounds, welts, and open sores. They haven’t been closed, bandaged, or soothed with oil.
7 Your country is desolate, your cities are burnt with fire; your soil—in your presence, strangers devour it, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.
Your country is desolate. Your cities are burnt with fire. Strangers devour your land in your presence and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.
8 And left is the daughter of Zion as a hut in a vineyard, as a lodge in a cucumber field, as a besieged city.
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 Unless the Lord of hosts had left unto us a remnant ever so small, like Sodom should we have been, unto Gomorrah should we have been compared.
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 Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom: give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.
Hear the LORD’s word, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah!
11 For what serveth me the multitude of your sacrifices? saith the Lord: I am sated with the burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fatted beasts; and the blood of bullocks, and of sheep, and of he-goats, I do not desire.
“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 don’t delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of male goats.
12 When ye come to appear in my presence—who hath required this at your hand, to tread down my courts?
When you come to appear before me, who has required this at your hand, to trample my courts?
13 Continue no more to bring an oblation of deceit; incense of abomination is it unto me: new moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies—I cannot bear misdeed with festive gathering.
Bring no more vain offerings. Incense is an abomination to me. New moons, Sabbaths, and convocations— I can’t stand evil assemblies.
14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth; they are become a burden unto me; I am weary to bear 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 ye spread forth your hands, I will withdraw my eyes from you; yea, when ye make ever so many prayers, I will not hear: 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 yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil;
Wash yourselves. Make yourself clean. Put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes. Cease to do evil.
17 Learn to do well; seek for justice, relieve the oppressed, do justice to the fatherless, plead for the widow.
Learn to do well. Seek justice. Relieve the oppressed. Defend the fatherless. Plead for the widow.”
18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins should be as scarlet, they shall become white as the snow; though they should be red like crimson, they shall become like wool.
“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 be willing and obey, the best of the land shall ye eat;
If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good of the land;
20 But if ye refuse and rebel, by the sword shall ye be devoured; 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 How is she become a harlot, the faithful town! she, that was full of justice; righteousness lodged therein; but now murderers.
How the faithful city has become a prostitute! She was full of justice. Righteousness lodged in her, but now there are murderers.
22 Thy silver is become dross, thy wine is drugged with water;
Your silver has become dross, your wine mixed with water.
23 Thy princes are rebels, and companions of thieves; every one loveth brides, and runneth after rewards; to the fatherless they will not do justice, and the cause of the widow doth not come unto them.
Your princes are rebellious and companions of thieves. Everyone loves bribes and follows after rewards. They don’t defend the fatherless, neither does the cause of the widow come to them.
24 Therefore saith the Lord, the Eternal of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will take satisfaction on my adversaries, and be avenged on my 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 And I will turn my hand against thee, and purge away as with lye thy dross, and remove all thy tin:
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 judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning; after that shalt thou be called, The city of righteousness, the town that is faithful.
I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counsellors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called ‘The city of righteousness, a faithful town.’
27 Zion shall be redeemed through justice, and her converts through righteousness.
Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and her converts with righteousness.
28 But destruction shall come over transgressors and sinners together, and those that forsake the Lord shall perish.
But the destruction of transgressors and sinners shall be together, and those who forsake the LORD shall be consumed.
29 For people shall be ashamed because of the terebinths which ye had desired, and ye shall be put to the blush because of the gardens that ye had 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 shall be as a terebinth the leaves of which wither, 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 mighty oppressor shall become as tow, and his workman as a spark; and they shall both burn together, with none to quench.
The strong will be like tinder, and his work like a spark. They will both burn together, and no one will quench them.”
