Isaiah 55
1 Ho, every thirsty one, come ye to the waters, And he who hath no money, Come ye, buy and eat, yea, come, buy Without money and without price, wine and milk.
Come, everyone of you who's thirsty, come and drink the water! You who don't have money, come—you can buy and eat! Come and buy wine and milk—you don't need money; there's no cost!
2 Why do ye weigh money for that which is not bread? And your labour for that which is not for satiety? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat good, And your soul doth delight itself in fatness.
Why are you spending money on what isn't food, and why work for something that doesn't satisfy you? Listen carefully to me: eat what is good, and you'll enjoy the very best food.
3 Incline your ear, and come unto me, Hear, and your soul doth live, And I make for you a covenant age-during, The kind acts of David — that are stedfast.
Come here, and pay attention, so you can truly live. I'm going to make an agreement with you that will last forever, based on the trustworthy love I showed to David.
4 Lo, a witness to peoples I have given him, A leader and commander to peoples.
See how I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for them.
5 Lo, a nation thou knowest not, thou callest, And a nation who know thee not unto thee do run, For the sake of Jehovah thy God, And for the Holy One of Israel, Because He hath beautified thee.
You will call nations you don't even know, and nations who don't know you will come running to you. For the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, I made you glorious.
6 Seek ye Jehovah, while He is found, Call ye Him, while He is near,
Look for the Lord while you can still find him; call out to him while he's nearby.
7 Forsake doth the wicked his way, And the man of iniquity his thoughts, And he returneth to Jehovah, and He pitieth him, And unto our God for He multiplieth to pardon.
Wicked people should change their ways and get rid of even the thought of doing something wrong. They should turn to the Lord so he can be merciful to them. Come back to our God, because he's generous with his forgiveness.
8 For not My thoughts [are] your thoughts, Nor your ways My ways, — an affirmation of Jehovah,
For your thoughts are not my thoughts; and your ways are not my ways, declares the Lord.
9 For high have the heavens been above the earth, So high have been My ways above your ways, And My thoughts above your thoughts.
In the same way the heavens are higher than the earth, my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
10 For, as come down doth the shower, And the snow from the heavens, And thither returneth not, But hath watered the earth, And hath caused it to yield, and to spring up, And hath given seed to the sower, and bread to the eater,
It's like the rain and snow that fall from heaven. They don't go back there until they've watered the earth, making plants grow and flower, providing seeds for the sower and food to eat.
11 So is My word that goeth out of My mouth, It turneth not back unto Me empty, But hath done that which I desired, And prosperously effected that [for] which I sent it.
In the same way the words I say don't come back to me unfulfilled, they accomplish what I want—they successfully achieve my purpose.
12 For with joy ye go forth, And with peace ye are brought in, The mountains and the hills Break forth before you [with] singing, And all trees of the field clap the hand.
You will live happily, taught the ways of peace. Mountains and hills will celebrate, singing beside you; and all the trees will clap their hands!
13 Instead of the thorn come up doth fir, Instead of the brier come up doth myrtle, And it hath been to Jehovah for a name, For a sign age-during — it is not cut off!
Cypress trees will grow instead of thorn bushes; myrtle trees will grow instead of brambles. This is to confirm the Lord's reputation—an everlasting sign, never to be destroyed.
