Isaiah 55
1 Ho! every one that thirsteth! Come ye to the waters, Yea he that hath no money, —Come ye—buy corn, and eat, Yea come—buy corn without money, And without price, wine and milk,
All you who thirst, come to the waters. And you who have no money: hurry, buy and eat. Approach, buy wine and milk, without money and without barter.
2 Wherefore should ye spend, Money, for that which is not bread? Or your labour, for that which, satisfieth not? Keep on hearkening unto me, And, so eat that which is good, And let your soul take exquisite delight in fatness:
Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and expend your labor for what does not satisfy? Listen very closely to me, and eat what is good, and then your soul will be delighted by a full measure.
3 Incline your ear, and come unto me, Hearken, That your soul, may live, —That I may solemnise for you a covenant age-abiding, The Lovingkindness to David, well-assured.
Incline your ear and draw near to me. Listen, and your soul will live. And I will make an everlasting covenant with you, by the faithful mercies of David.
4 Lo! As a witness to the peoples, have I given him, —As a leader and commander to the peoples:
Behold, I have presented him as a witness to the people, as a commander and instructor to the nations.
5 Lo! A nation thou shalt not know, shalt thou call, And, a nation which hath not known thee, unto thee, shall run, —For the sake of Yahweh thy God, And for the Holy One of Israel, because he hath adorned thee.
Behold, you will call to a nation that you did not know. And nations that did not know you will rush to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel. For he has glorified you.
6 Seek Yahweh while he may be found, —Call ye upon him while he is near:
Seek the Lord, while he is able to be found. Call upon him, while he is near.
7 Let the lawless forsake his way, And the man of iniquity, his thoughts, —And let him return unto Yahweh That he may have compassion upon him, And unto our God, For he will abundantly pardon.
Let the impious one abandon his way, and the iniquitous man his thoughts, and let him return to the Lord, and he will take pity on him, and to our God, for he is great in forgiveness.
8 For, my thoughts, are not, your thoughts, Nor, your ways, my ways, —Declareth Yahweh.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways, says the Lord.
9 For, higher, are the heavens than the earth, —So, higher, are My ways than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.
For just as the heavens are exalted above the earth, so also are my ways exalted above your ways, and my thoughts above your thoughts.
10 For, as the rain and the snow descend from the heavens. And thither, do not return, Except they have watered the earth. And caused it to bring forth and bud, —And given seed to the sower, and bread to the eater,
And in the same manner as rain and snow descend from heaven, and no longer return there, but soak the earth, and water it, and cause it to bloom and to provide seed to the sower and bread to the hungry,
11 So, shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth, It shall not return unto me void, —But shall accomplish that which I please, And shall prosper in that whereunto I have sent it.
so also will my word be, which will go forth from my mouth. It will not return to me empty, but it will accomplish whatever I will, and it will prosper in the tasks for which I sent it.
12 For with gladness shall ye come forth, And in peace, shall ye be led, —the mountains and the hills shall break out, before you, into shouts of triumph, And all the wild trees shall clap their hands:
For you will go forth rejoicing, and you will be led forward in peace. The mountains and the hills will sing praise before you, and all the trees of the countryside will clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thorn-bush, shall come up the fir-tree, And instead of the nettle, shall come up the myrtle-tree, —So shall it become unto Yahweh, a Name, A Sign age-abiding, which shall not be cut off.
In place of the shrub, the pine tree will arise, and in place of the nettle, the myrtle tree will grow. And the Lord will be named with an eternal sign, which will not be taken away.
