Isaiah 1

1 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.

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 Jehovah speaketh: “I have nourished and brought up children, And they have rebelled 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 The ox knoweth his owner, And the ass his master's crib; But Israel doth not know; My people do not consider.”

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

4 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.

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

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 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.

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 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.

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

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 Had not Jehovah of hosts left us a small remnant, We had soon become 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 ye the word of Jehovah, ye princes of Sodom! Give ear to the instruction of our God, ye 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 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.

“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 ye come to appear before me, Who hath required this of you, to tread my courts?

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

13 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.

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 Your new moons and your feasts my soul hateth; They are a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them.

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

15 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!

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 you; make you clean; Put away your evil doings from before mine eyes;

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

17 Cease to do evil; Learn to do well; Seek justice; relieve the oppressed; Defend the fatherless; plead for the widow!

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

18 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.

“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 ye be willing and obedient, Ye shall consume the good of the land.

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

20 But if ye refuse, and be rebellious, The sword shall consume you; For the mouth of Jehovah hath said it.

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

21 How is the faithful city become a harlot, She that was full of equity! Once justice dwelt in her, but 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 Thy silver is become dross; Thy wine is adulterated with water.

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

23 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.

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 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.

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

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

26 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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 And ye shall be as a terebinth-tree whose leaves are withered, And as a garden in which is no water.

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

31 The strong shall become tow, And his work a spark of fire; Both shall burn together, And none shall quench them.

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