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 which Esaias the son of Amos saw, which he saw against Juda, and against Jerusalem, in the reign of Ozias, and Joatham, and Achaz, and Ezekias, who reigned over Judea.

2 Hear, heavens, and listen, earth; for the LORD has spoken: “I have nourished and brought up children and they have rebelled against me.

Hear, O heaven, and listen, O earth: for the Lord has spoken, [saying], I have begotten and reared up children, but 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 don’t consider.”

The ox knows his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel does not know me, and the people has not regarded me.

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

Ah sinful nation, a people full of sins, an evil seed, lawless children: you have forsaken the Lord, and provoked the Holy One of Israel.

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

Why should you be struck [any] more, transgressing more and more? the whole head is pained, and the whole heart sad.

6 From the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness in it, but wounds, welts, and open sores. They haven’t been closed, bandaged, or soothed with oil.

From the feet to the head, there is no soundness in them; neither wound, nor bruise, nor festering ulcer [are healed]: it is not possible to apply a plaister, nor oil, nor bandages.

7 Your country is desolate. Your cities are burnt with fire. Strangers devour your land in your presence and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.

Your land is desolate, your cities burnt with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is made desolate, overthrown by strange nations.

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

The daughter of Sion shall be deserted as a tent in a vineyard, and as a storehouse of fruits in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.

9 Unless the LORD of Armies had left to us a very small remnant, we would have been as Sodom. We would have been like Gomorrah.

And if the Lord of Sabaoth had not left us a seed, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been made like Gomorrha.

10 Hear the LORD’s word, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah!

Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodoma; attend to the law of God, you people of Gomorrha.

11 “What are the multitude of your sacrifices to me?”, says the LORD. “I have had enough of the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed animals. I don’t delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of male goats.

Of what [value] to me is the abundance of your sacrifices? says the Lord: I am full of whole burnt offerings of rams; and I delight not in the fat of lambs, and the blood of bulls and goats:

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

neither shall you come [with these] to appear before me; for who has required these things at your hands? You shall no more tread my court.

13 Bring no more vain offerings. Incense is an abomination to me. New moons, Sabbaths, and convocations— I can’t stand evil assemblies.

Though you bring fine flour, [it is] vain; incense is an abomination to me; I can’t bear your new moons, and your sabbaths, and the great day;

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

[your] fasting, and rest from work, your new moons also, and your feasts my soul hates: you have become loathsome to me; I will no more pardon your sins.

15 When you spread out 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.

When you stretch forth your hands, I will turn away mine eyes from you: and though you make many supplications, I will not listen to you; for 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, be clean; remove your iniquities from your souls before mine eyes; cease from your iniquities;

17 Learn to do well. Seek justice. Relieve the oppressed. Defend the fatherless. Plead for the widow.”

learn to do well; diligently seek judgement, deliver him that is suffering wrong, plead for the orphan, and obtain justice for the widow.

18 “Come now, and let’s reason together,” says the LORD: “Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

And come, let us reason together, says the Lord: and though your sins be as purple, I will make them white as snow; and though they be as scarlet, I will make [them] white as wool.

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

And if you be willing, and listen to me, you shall eat the good of the land:

20 but if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured with the sword; for the LORD’s mouth has spoken it.”

but if you be not willing, nor listen to me, a sword shall devour you: for the mouth of the Lord has spoken this.

21 How the faithful city has become a prostitute! She was full of justice. Righteousness lodged in her, but now there are murderers.

How has the faithful city Sion, [once] full of judgement, become a harlot! wherein righteousness lodged, but now murderers.

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

Your silver is worthless, your wine merchants mix the wine with water.

23 Your princes are rebellious and companions of thieves. Everyone loves bribes and follows after rewards. They don’t defend the fatherless, neither does the cause of the widow come to them.

Your princes are rebellious, companions of thieves, loving bribes, seeking after rewards; not pleading for orphans, and not heeding the cause of widows.

24 Therefore the Lord, GOD of Armies, the Mighty One of Israel, says: “Ah, I will get relief from my adversaries, and avenge myself on my enemies.

Therefore thus says the Lord, the Lord of hosts, Woe to the mighty [men] of Israel; for my wrath shall not cease against mine adversaries, and I will execute judgement on mine enemies.

25 I will turn my hand on you, thoroughly purge away your dross, and will take away all your tin.

And I will bring my hand upon you, and purge you completely, and I will destroy the rebellious, and will take away from you all transgressors.

26 I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counsellors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called ‘The city of righteousness, a faithful town.’

And I will establish your judges as before, and your counsellors as at the beginning: and afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful mother-city of Sion.

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

For her captives shall be saved with judgement, and with mercy.

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

And the transgressors and the sinners shall be crushed together, and they that forsake the Lord shall be utterly 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 their idols, which they delighted in, and they are made ashamed of the gardens which they coveted.

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

For they shall be as a turpentine tree that has cast its leaves, and as a garden that has 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 their strength shall be as a thread of tow, and their works as sparks, and the transgressors and the sinners shall be burnt up together, and there shall be none to quench [them].