Isaiah 1

1 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.

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, heavens, and listen, earth; for YHWH has spoken: I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.

Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the LORD hath spoken: Children I have reared, and brought up, and they have rebelled against Me.

3 The ox knows his owner, and the donkey his master's crib; but Israel doesn't know, my people do not understand.

The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib; but Israel doth not know, My people doth not consider.

4 Ah sinful nation, a people loaded with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly. They have forsaken YHWH. They have despised the Holy One of Israel. They are estranged and backward.

Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil-doers, children that deal corruptly; they have forsaken the LORD, they have contemned the Holy One of Israel, they are turned away backward.

5 Why should you be beaten more, that you revolt more and more? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.

On what part will ye yet be stricken, seeing ye stray away more and more? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint;

6 From the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness in it: wounds, welts, and open sores. They haven't been closed, neither bandaged, neither soothed with oil.

From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and festering sores: they have not been pressed, neither bound up, neither mollified with oil.

7 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.

Your country is desolate; your cities are burned with fire; your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by floods.

8 The daughter of Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard, like a hut in a field of cucumbers, like a besieged city.

And the daughter of Zion is left as a booth in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.

9 Unless YHWH of hosts had left us a few survivors, we would have been as Sodom, and we would have been like Gomorrah.

Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, we should have been like unto Gomorrah.

10 Hear the word of YHWH, you rulers of Sodom. Listen to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah.

Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.

11 "What are the multitude of your sacrifices to me?," says YHWH. "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.

To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto Me? saith the LORD; I am full of the burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he-goats.

12 When you come to appear before me, who has required this at your hand, to trample my courts?

When ye come to appear before Me, who hath required this at your hand, to trample My courts?

13 Bring no more vain offerings. Incense is an abomination to me; new moons, Sabbaths, and convocations: I can't bear with evil assemblies.

Bring no more vain oblations; it is an offering of abomination unto Me; new moon and sabbath, the holding of convocations — I cannot endure iniquity along with the solemn assembly.

14 My soul hates your New Moons and your appointed feasts. They are a burden to me. I am weary of bearing them.

Your new moons and your appointed seasons My soul hateth; they are a burden unto Me; I am weary to bear them.

15 When you spread forth 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.

And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide Mine eyes from you; yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear; your hands are full of blood.

16 Wash yourselves, make yourself clean. Put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes. Cease to do evil.

Wash you, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before Mine eyes, cease to do evil;

17 Learn to do well. Seek justice. Relieve the oppressed. Judge the fatherless. Plead for the widow."

Learn to do well; seek justice, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

18 "Come now, and let us reason together," says YHWH: "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

19 If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land;

If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land;

20 but if you refuse and rebel, the sword shall devour you; for the mouth of YHWH has spoken it."

But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword; for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken.

21 How the faithful city has become a prostitute. She was full of justice; righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers.

How is the faithful city become a harlot! She that was full of justice, righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers.

22 Your silver has become dross, your wine mixed with water.

Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water.

23 Your rulers are rebellious, companions of thieves. Everyone loves a bribe, chasing after payoffs. They do not judge the fatherless, neither does the cause of the widow come to them.

Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves; every one loveth bribes, and followeth after rewards; they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.

24 Therefore YHWH of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, says: "Ah, I will get relief from my adversaries, and avenge myself of my enemies;

Therefore saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel: Ah, I will ease Me of Mine adversaries, and avenge Me of Mine enemies;

25 and I will turn my hand against you, and I will purge away your dross, and I will take away all your slag.

And I will turn My hand upon thee, and purge away thy dross as with lye, and will take away all thine alloy;

26 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.'

And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning; afterward thou shalt be called The city of righteousness, the faithful city.

27 Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and her converts with righteousness.

Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and they that return of her with righteousness.

28 But the destruction of transgressors and sinners shall be together, and those who forsake YHWH shall be consumed.

But the destruction of the transgressors and the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed.

29 For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which you have desired, and you shall be confounded for the gardens that you have chosen.

For they shall be ashamed of the terebinths which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen.

30 For you shall be as an oak whose leaf fades, and as a garden that has no water.

For ye shall be as a terebinth whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water.

31 The strong will be like tinder, and his work like a spark. They will both burn together, and no one will quench them."

And the strong shall be as tow, and his work as a spark; and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.