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.

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

Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For Jehovah speaketh: “I have nourished and brought up children, And 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 knoweth his owner, And the ass his master's crib; But Israel doth not know; My people do not consider.”

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.

Ah, sinful nation! a people laden with iniquity! A race of evil-doers! degenerate children! They have forsaken Jehovah; they have despised the Holy One of Israel; They have gone backward.

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

Where can ye be smitten again, Since ye renew your rebellion? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint;

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 the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it; It is all bruises, and stripes, and flesh wounds, Neither pressed, nor bound up, nor softened with ointment.

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 country is desolate; Your cities are burnt with fire; Your ground, strangers devour it before your eyes; It is become desolate, destroyed by an enemy.

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 left as a shed in a vineyard, As a hut in a garden of cucumbers, As a besieged city.

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

Had not Jehovah of hosts left us a small remnant, We had soon become as Sodom; We had been like to Gomorrah.

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

Hear ye the word of Jehovah, ye princes of Sodom! Give ear to the instruction of our God, ye 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 to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? saith Jehovah; I am satiated with burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; In the blood of bullocks and of lambs and of goats I have no delight.

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

When ye come to appear before me, Who hath required this of you, to tread 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 no more false oblations! Incense is an abomination to me, The new moon also, and the sabbath, and the calling of the assembly; Iniquity and festivals I cannot endure.

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.

Your new moons and your feasts my soul hateth; They are 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 ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; Yea, when ye multiply prayers, I will not hear: Your hands are full of 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 you; make you clean; Put away your evil doings from before mine eyes;

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

Cease to do evil; Learn to do well; Seek justice; relieve the oppressed; Defend the fatherless; plead for 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, and let us argue together, saith Jehovah. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they be red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

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

If ye be willing and obedient, Ye shall consume the good 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 ye refuse, and be rebellious, The sword shall consume you; For the mouth of Jehovah hath said it.

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

How is the faithful city become a harlot, She that was full of equity! Once justice dwelt in her, but now murderers!

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

Thy silver is become dross; Thy wine is adulterated 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.

Thy princes are faithless, companions of thieves; Every one of them loveth gifts, and seeketh rewards; They render not justice to the fatherless, And the cause of the widow cometh not 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,

Wherefore, thus saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel: Ha! I will ease me of mine adversaries, And avenge me of mine enemies.

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

And I will again turn my hand toward thee, And wholly purge away thy dross, And take away all thy alloy.

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.”

And I will restore thee judges, as at the first, And counsellors, as at the beginning. Then shalt thou be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.

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

Through justice shall Zion be delivered, And her reformed sons through righteousness.

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

But destruction shall fall at once on the rebels and sinners; Yea, they that forsake Jehovah shall be consumed.

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.

For ye shall be ashamed of the terebinths in which ye delighted; Ye shall blush for the gardens which ye loved;

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

And ye shall be as a terebinth-tree whose leaves are withered, And as a garden in which is no 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 shall become tow, And his work a spark of fire; Both shall burn together, And none shall quench them.