ישעה 1

1 חזון ישעיהו בן אמוץ אשר חזה על יהודה וירושלם--בימי עזיהו יותם אחז יחזקיהו מלכי יהודה

[I am] Isaiah, the son of Amoz. [Yahweh showed me] visions about Jerusalem and [all the other places in] Judah. He showed me these visions during the years that Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah.

2 שמעו שמים והאזיני ארץ כי יהוה דבר בנים גדלתי ורוממתי והם פשעו בי

This is what Yahweh says: “All you [angels in] [APO] heaven and [all you people on] [APO] earth, listen to me! The people that I caused to exist and took care of [DOU] have rebelled against me.

3 ידע שור קנהו וחמור אבוס בעליו ישראל לא ידע עמי לא התבונן

Oxen know their owners, and donkeys know who provides food for them, but my Israeli people do not know [me]; they do not realize [that I am the one who takes care of them].”

4 הוי גוי חטא עם כבד עון--זרע מרעים בנים משחיתים עזבו את יהוה נאצו את קדוש ישראל--נזרו אחור

Terrible things will happen to that sinful nation, to those people who are guilty of sinning greatly. They are a group of very evil people, who act very unjustly. They have abandoned Yahweh, the holy one of Israel; they have (abandoned/turned away from) him.

5 על מה תכו עוד תוסיפו סרה כל ראש לחלי וכל לבב דוי

Why do you [RHQ] continue to [do things for which] you should be punished? Why do you continue to rebel against Yahweh? [You are like] [MET] someone whose head is badly injured and whose mind is sick/corrupt.

6 מכף רגל ועד ראש אין בו מתם פצע וחבורה ומכה טריה לא זרו ולא חבשו ולא רככה בשמן

[It is as though] [MET] from the soles/bottoms of your feet to the [tops of your] heads nothing is healthy; there are only open wounds and cuts and sores that have not been cleaned or bandaged, and no [olive] oil has been put on them [to heal them].

7 ארצכם שממה עריכם שרפות אש אדמתכם לנגדכם זרים אכלים אתה ושממה כמהפכת זרים

[It is as though] your country is ruined/desolate; your towns have been burned. Foreigners plunder/steal the crops in your fields while you watch; they destroy everything [that they see].

8 ונותרה בת ציון כסכה בכרם כמלונה במקשה כעיר נצורה

The city of Jerusalem has [already] been abandoned, it is like [SIM] a shelter in a vineyard that has been abandoned by the watchmen; it is like [SIM] a watchman’s hut in a field of melons that has been deserted. It is a city surrounded by its enemies who are waiting to attack it.

9 לולי יהוה צבאות הותיר לנו שריד כמעט--כסדם היינו לעמרה דמינו

If the Commander of the armies of angels had not allowed a few of us [his people] to (survive/remain alive), we would have [all] been [destroyed], like [the cities of] Sodom and Gomorrah [were destroyed].

10 שמעו דבר יהוה קציני סדם האזינו תורת אלהינו עם עמרה

You [leaders of Judah are as wicked as] the rulers of Sodom were, and you [other people in Jerusalem areas are as wicked as] the people in Gomorrah [were]. Listen to this message from Yahweh, [all of you]!

11 למה לי רב זבחיכם יאמר יהוה שבעתי עלות אילים וחלב מריאים ודם פרים וכבשים ועתודים לא חפצתי

He says, “You continue to bring many sacrifices to me, but I do not [RHQ] want them [because you do not worship me sincerely]! You bring me many offerings to be completely burned [on the altar], [but] I (am tired/do not want any more) of your burning all those offerings, the burning rams and the fat from fat cattle. I am not pleased with the blood of bulls and lambs and goats that [the priest] pours [against the altar].

12 כי תבאו לראות פני--מי בקש זאת מידכם רמס חצרי

When you come to my temple to worship me, no one [RHQ] told you to trample on my courtyard while you perform all those rituals.

13 לא תוסיפו הביא מנחת שוא--קטרת תועבה היא לי חדש ושבת קרא מקרא לא אוכל און ועצרה

Stop bringing to me those offerings, because they are useless [to me]; I am disgusted with the incense that [the priests burn]. And [your feasts to celebrate] the new moon [each month] and your (Sabbath [days]/days of rest) and your [other] festivals— I detest them because of the wicked things [that you do].

14 חדשיכם ומועדיכם שנאה נפשי היו עלי לטרח נלאיתי נשא

I [SYN] hate [all] your celebrations of each new moon and the [other] festivals that you celebrate each year. They are [like] [MET] a heavy burden that I am tired of carrying.

15 ובפרשכם כפיכם אעלים עיני מכם--גם כי תרבו תפלה אינני שמע ידיכם דמים מלאו

[So], when you lift up your hands when you pray [to me], I will not [even] look at you. Even if you pray [to me very] frequently, I will not listen [to you], [because it is as though] your hands are covered with the blood [of people whom you have killed].

16 רחצו הזכו--הסירו רע מעלליכם מנגד עיני חדלו הרע

Cleanse your inner beings, and become [spiritually] clean! Stop your evil behavior! Stop doing things that are wrong!

17 למדו היטב דרשו משפט אשרו חמוץ שפטו יתום ריבו אלמנה

Learn to do [things that are] good! [Try to] cause people to do what is just. Help people who are (oppressed/treated cruelly). Defend orphans and widows [when people take them to court].”

18 לכו נא ונוכחה יאמר יהוה אם יהיו חטאיכם כשנים כשלג ילבינו אם יאדימו כתולע כצמר יהיו

Yahweh says, “You need to think about the results of what you do. Even though [the guilt of] your sins be [as evident and as difficult to get rid of] as [SIM] red [stains on a white garment] [DOU], [I will get rid of them completely] [like someone who can make that stained garment] become as white as snow or wool [DOU].

19 אם תאבו ושמעתם--טוב הארץ תאכלו

If you are willing to obey [me], [I will enable] you to have plenty to eat.

20 ואם תמאנו ומריתם--חרב תאכלו כי פי יהוה דבר

But, if you turn away [from me and] rebel against me, you will be killed [by your enemies’] swords. [That will surely happen, because I, ] Yahweh, have said it.”

21 איכה היתה לזונה קריה נאמנה מלאתי משפט צדק ילין בה--ועתה מרצחים

“[You people of Jerusalem previously] faithfully [worshiped only] me, but now you have become like [MET] prostitutes [who are not faithful to any husband]. Previously, people there always acted justly/fairly and righteously, but now your city [is full of] murderers.

22 כספך היה לסיגים סבאך מהול במים

Previously, you were [like] [MET] pure silver, but now you have become [like] [MET] the scum that is left [when silver is purified]. Previously you were [like pure] wine, but you have become [like] [MET] wine that has [a lot of] water mixed with it.

23 שריך סוררים וחברי גנבים--כלו אהב שחד ורדף שלמנים יתום לא ישפטו וריב אלמנה לא יבוא אליהם

Your leaders are rebels; they spend time with thieves. They all want to get bribes and force others to give them gifts [in order that they do good things for them]. They do not defend orphans [in court], and they do not do all they can to enable widows to get what they should receive.

24 לכן נאם האדון יהוה צבאות--אביר ישראל הוי אנחם מצרי ואנקמה מאויבי

Therefore [I, ] the Commander of the armies of angels, the mighty God of Israel, say to my enemies, ‘will get revenge on you; you will not cause me any more trouble. And I will pay you back for the evil things that you did.

25 ואשיבה ידי עליך ואצרף כבר סיגיך ואסירה כל בדיליך

I will raise my fist to strike you. I will [punish you severely] [MET], as though [MET] you were silver [and I needed to heat you very greatly to] melt you and get rid of the impurities.

26 ואשיבה שפטיך כבראשנה ויעציך כבתחלה אחרי כן יקרא לך עיר הצדק--קריה נאמנה

[After that happens, ] I will give you good judges like you had previously; you will have [wise] counselors like you had long ago. Then people will call your city “a city where people [act] righteously, a city where people are loyal to me.”'”

27 ציון במשפט תפדה ושביה בצדקה

Because the people of Jerusalem will do what is fair/just, their city will be restored; those who repent [will be saved] because of [their acting] righteously.

28 ושבר פשעים וחטאים יחדו ועזבי יהוה יכלו

But rebels and sinners will be crushed by Yahweh, and those who forsake him will disappear.

29 כי יבשו מאילים אשר חמדתם ותחפרו--מהגנות אשר בחרתם

You will be ashamed because [you worshiped] idols under the oak trees [that you considered to be] sacred; you will be disgraced because [you worshiped idols] in the gardens where you chose [to worship them].

30 כי תהיו כאלה נבלת עלה וכגנה אשר מים אין לה

You will be like [SIM] a very large tree which has withered leaves, like [SIM] a garden that [is dried up because] it has no water.

31 והיה החסן לנערת ופעלו לניצוץ ובערו שניהם יחדו ואין מכבה

Those among you who are [very] strong will become [like] [MET] dry wood, and the work they do will be [like] [MET] a spark; both they and the evil things that they do will burn up completely, and no one will be able to put out the fire.