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 the LORD 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, I have nourished and brought up children, 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 don’t consider.”

The ox knoweth his owner, and the donkey 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 the LORD. They have despised the Holy One of Israel. They are estranged and backward.

Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel to anger, they are gone 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.

Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt 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, but wounds, welts, and open sores. They haven’t been closed, bandaged, or soothed with oil.

From the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.

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 country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, foreigners devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by foreigners.

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.

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

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

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, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear to the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.

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.

To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to 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 bulls, or of lambs, or of male 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 tread my courts?

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

Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination to me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot endure; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.

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 feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble to me; I am weary of bearing them.

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.

And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide my 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 yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil;

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

Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead 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.

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 will eat the good of the land;

If ye are willing and obedient, ye 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 ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

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

How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; 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 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.

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 to them.

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

Therefore saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will rid myself of my adversaries, and avenge me of my enemies:

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

And I will turn my hand upon thee, and thoroughly purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin:

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 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 judgment, and her converts with righteousness.

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

And the destruction of the transgressors and of 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 oaks 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 an oak 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 a wick, and its maker as a spark, and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.