Isaiah 1

1 The visions of Isaiah son of Amoz, that he has seen concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

This is the vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah son of Amoz saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, For YHWH has spoken: “I have nourished and brought up sons, And they transgressed against Me.

Listen, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the LORD has spoken: “I have raised children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against Me.

3 An ox has known its owner, And a donkey the crib of its master, Israel has not known, My people have not understood.”

The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s manger, but Israel does not know; My people do not understand.”

4 Oh, sinning nation, a people heavy [with] iniquity, A seed of evildoers, sons—corrupters! They have forsaken YHWH, They have despised the Holy One of Israel, They have gone away backward.

Alas, O sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a brood of evildoers, children of depravity! They have forsaken the LORD; they have despised the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on Him.

5 Why are you struck anymore? You add apostasy! Every head has become diseased, and every heart [is] sick.

Why do you want more beatings? Why do you keep rebelling? Your head has a massive wound, and your whole heart is afflicted.

6 From the sole of the foot—to the head, There is no soundness in it, Wound, and bruise, and fresh striking! They have not been closed nor bound, Nor have they softened with ointment.

From the sole of your foot to the top of your head, there is no soundness— only wounds and welts and festering sores neither cleansed nor bandaged nor soothed with oil.

7 Your land [is] a desolation, your cities burned with fire, Your ground—strangers are consuming it before you, And a desolation as overthrown by strangers!

Your land is desolate; your cities are burned with fire. Foreigners devour your fields before you— a desolation demolished by strangers.

8 And the daughter of Zion has been left, As a shelter in a vineyard, As a lodge in a place of cucumbers—as a city besieged.

And the Daughter of Zion is abandoned like a shelter in a vineyard, like a shack in a cucumber field, like a city besieged.

9 Unless YHWH of Hosts had left a remnant to us, Shortly—we had been as Sodom, We had been like to Gomorrah!

Unless the LORD of Hosts had left us a few survivors, we would have become like Sodom, we would have resembled Gomorrah.

10 Hear the word of YHWH, you rulers of Sodom, Give ear to the Law of our God, you people of Gomorrah,

Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah!

11 “Why the abundance of your sacrifices to Me?” says YHWH, “I have been satiated [with] burnt-offerings of rams, And fat of fatlings; And blood of bullocks, and lambs, And I have not desired male goats.

“What good to Me is your multitude of sacrifices?” says the LORD. “I am full from the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed cattle; I take no delight in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.

12 When you come to appear before Me, Who has required this of your hand, To trample My courts?

When you come to appear before Me, who has required this of you— this trampling of My courts?

13 Do not add to bring in a vain present, Incense—it [is] an abomination to Me, New moon, and Sabbath, calling of convocation! Do not render iniquity—and a restraint!

Bring your worthless offerings no more; your incense is detestable to Me— your New Moons, Sabbaths, and convocations. I cannot endure iniquity in a solemn assembly.

14 My soul has hated your new moons and your set seasons, They have been on Me for a burden, I have been weary of bearing.

I hate your New Moons and your appointed feasts. They have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them.

15 And in your spreading forth your hands, I hide My eyes from you, Also when you increase prayer, I do not hear, Your hands have been full of blood.

When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you multiply your prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.

16 Wash yourselves, make yourselves pure, Turn aside the evil of your doings, from before My eyes, Cease to do evil, learn to do good.

Wash and cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil!

17 Seek judgment, make the oppressed blessed, Judge the fatherless, strive [for] the widow.

Learn to do right; seek justice and correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless and plead the case of the widow.”

18 Now come, and we settle this,” says YHWH, “If your sins are as scarlet, they will be white as snow, If they are red as crimson, they will be as wool!

“Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they will become like wool.

19 If you are willing, and have listened, The good of the land you consume,

If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best of the land.

20 And if you refuse, and have rebelled, You are consumed [by] the sword,” For the mouth of YHWH has spoken.

But if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.”

21 How has a faithful city become a harlot? I have filled it [with] judgment, Righteousness lodges in it—now murderers.

See how the faithful city has become a harlot! She once was full of justice; righteousness resided within her, but now only murderers!

22 Your silver has become dross, Your drink defiled with water.

Your silver has become dross; your fine wine is diluted with water.

23 Your princes [are] apostates, and companions of thieves, Everyone loving a bribe, and pursuing rewards, They do not judge the fatherless, And the plea of the widow does not come to them.

Your rulers are rebels, friends of thieves. They all love bribes and chasing after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, and the plea of the widow never comes before them.

24 Therefore—a declaration of the Lord—YHWH of Hosts, the Mighty One of Israel: “Oh, I relieve Myself from My adversaries, And avenge Myself against My enemies,

Therefore the Lord GOD of Hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, declares: “Ah, I will be relieved of My foes and avenge Myself on My enemies.

25 And I turn back My hand on you, And I refine your dross as purity, And I turn aside all your tin,

I will turn My hand against you; I will thoroughly purge your dross; I will remove all your impurities.

26 And I give back your judges as at the first, And your counselors as in the beginning, After this you are called, A city of righteousness—a faithful city.”

I will restore your judges as at first, and your counselors as at the beginning. After that you will be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City.”

27 Zion is redeemed in judgment, And her captivity in righteousness.

Zion will be redeemed with justice, her repentant ones with righteousness.

28 And the destruction of transgressors and sinners [is] together, And those forsaking YHWH are consumed.

But rebels and sinners will together be shattered, and those who forsake the LORD will perish.

29 For [men] are ashamed because of the oaks That you have desired, And you are confounded because of the gardens That you have chosen.

Surely you will be ashamed of the sacred oaks in which you have delighted; you will be embarrassed by the gardens that you have chosen.

30 For you are as an oak whose leaf is fading, And as a garden that has no water.

For you will become like an oak whose leaves are withered, like a garden without water.

31 And the strong has been for tow, And his work for a spark, And both of them have burned together, And there is none quenching!

The strong man will become tinder and his work will be a spark; both will burn together, with no one to quench the flames.