יְשַׁעְיָהוּ 5

1 אָשִׁ֤ירָה נָּא֙ לִֽידִידִ֔י שִׁירַ֥ת דֹּודִ֖י לְכַרְמֹ֑ו כֶּ֛רֶם הָיָ֥ה לִֽידִידִ֖י בְּקֶ֥רֶן בֶּן־שָֽׁמֶן׃

[Now] I will sing a song about my dear friend, and about his vineyard. The vineyard was on a very fertile hillside.

2 וַֽיְעַזְּקֵ֣הוּ וַֽיְסַקְּלֵ֗הוּ וַיִּטָּעֵ֙הוּ֙ שֹׂרֵ֔ק וַיִּ֤בֶן מִגְדָּל֙ בְּתֹוכֹ֔ו וְגַם־יֶ֖קֶב חָצֵ֣ב בֹּ֑ו וַיְקַ֛ו לַעֲשֹׂ֥ות עֲנָבִ֖ים וַיַּ֥עַשׂ בְּאֻשִֽׁים׃

My friend plowed the ground and cleared away the stones. Then he planted very good grapevines on that ground. In the middle of the vineyard, he built a watchtower, and he dug a (winepress/pit for squeezing the grapes). Then he waited [each year] to harvest some good grapes, but the vines produced [only] sour grapes.

3 וְעַתָּ֛ה יֹושֵׁ֥ב יְרוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם וְאִ֣ישׁ יְהוּדָ֑ה שִׁפְטוּ־נָ֕א בֵּינִ֖י וּבֵ֥ין כַּרְמִֽי׃

Now [this is what Yahweh says]: “You people of Jerusalem and [other places in] Judah, I [am like the friend, and you are like] my vineyard; [so] you judge which of us [has done what is right].

4 מַה־לַּעֲשֹׂ֥ות עֹוד֙ לְכַרְמִ֔י וְלֹ֥א עָשִׂ֖יתִי בֹּ֑ו מַדּ֧וּעַ קִוֵּ֛יתִי לַעֲשֹׂ֥ות עֲנָבִ֖ים וַיַּ֥עַשׂ בְּאֻשִֽׁים׃

What more could I have done for you than what I have already done? I expected you to be doing good deeds [MET], so it is disgusting that [RHQ] you were [doing only evil things] like the vineyard that produced only sour grapes!

5 וְעַתָּה֙ אֹודִֽיעָה־נָּ֣א אֶתְכֶ֔ם אֵ֛ת אֲשֶׁר־אֲנִ֥י עֹשֶׂ֖ה לְכַרְמִ֑י הָסֵ֤ר מְשׂוּכָּתֹו֙ וְהָיָ֣ה לְבָעֵ֔ר פָּרֹ֥ץ גְּדֵרֹ֖ו וְהָיָ֥ה לְמִרְמָֽס׃

[So], I will now tell you what I will do to [Judah, the place that is like] my vineyard. I will cut down the hedges, and they will be destroyed. I will tear down the walls [of the cities] and allow [wild animals] to trample the land.

6 וַאֲשִׁיתֵ֣הוּ בָתָ֗ה לֹ֤א יִזָּמֵר֙ וְלֹ֣א יֵעָדֵ֔ר וְעָלָ֥ה שָׁמִ֖יר וָשָׁ֑יִת וְעַ֤ל הֶעָבִים֙ אֲצַוֶּ֔ה מֵהַמְטִ֥יר עָלָ֖יו מָטָֽר׃

I will cause it to become a wasteland where the vines are not pruned and the ground is not hoed. It will be a place where briers and thorns [DOU] grow. And I will command that no rain will fall on it.”

7 כִּ֣י כֶ֜רֶם יְהוָ֤ה צְבָאֹות֙ בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאִ֣ישׁ יְהוּדָ֔ה נְטַ֖ע שַׁעֲשׁוּעָ֑יו וַיְקַ֤ו לְמִשְׁפָּט֙ וְהִנֵּ֣ה מִשְׂפָּ֔ח לִצְדָקָ֖ה וְהִנֵּ֥ה צְעָקָֽה׃ ס

The nation of Israel is [like] [MET] the vineyard of the Commander of the armies of angels. The people of Judah are [like] the garden that was pleasing to him. He expected you to be doing what is just/fair, but instead, [what he saw was people] murdering [MTY] others. [He expected that you would be doing] righteous deeds, but instead, he heard cries from people who were being [attacked] violently.

8 הֹ֗וי מַגִּיעֵ֥י בַ֙יִת֙ בְּבַ֔יִת שָׂדֶ֥ה בְשָׂדֶ֖ה יַקְרִ֑יבוּ עַ֚ד אֶ֣פֶס מָקֹ֔ום וְהֽוּשַׁבְתֶּ֥ם לְבַדְּכֶ֖ם בְּקֶ֥רֶב הָאָֽרֶץ׃

Terrible things will happen to you who continually [illegally] acquire houses and fields. You force one family after another to leave their homes until you are the only ones [HYP] [still] living in the land.

9 בְּאָזְנָ֖י יְהוָ֣ה צְבָאֹ֑ות אִם־לֹ֞א בָּתִּ֤ים רַבִּים֙ לְשַׁמָּ֣ה יִֽהְי֔וּ גְּדֹלִ֥ים וְטֹובִ֖ים מֵאֵ֥ין יֹושֵֽׁב׃

[But] I heard the Commander of the armies of angels solemnly declare this: “[Some day], many of those huge houses will be empty/deserted; no one will be living in those beautiful mansions.

10 כִּ֗י עֲשֶׂ֙רֶת֙ צִמְדֵּי־כֶ֔רֶם יַעֲשׂ֖וּ בַּ֣ת אֶחָ֑ת וְזֶ֥רַע חֹ֖מֶר יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה אֵיפָֽה׃ פ

The vines on ten acres of land will not produce enough grapes to make (six gallons/22 liters) [of juice/wine], and ten baskets of seed will produce only one basket [of grain].”

11 הֹ֛וי מַשְׁכִּימֵ֥י בַבֹּ֖קֶר שֵׁכָ֣ר יִרְדֹּ֑פוּ מְאַחֲרֵ֣י בַנֶּ֔שֶׁף יַ֖יִן יַדְלִיקֵֽם׃

Terrible things will happen to those who get up early [each] morning to begin drinking alcoholic drinks, and who stay awake until late at night [drinking a lot of wine] until they are completely drunk.

12 וְהָיָ֨ה כִנֹּ֜ור וָנֶ֗בֶל תֹּ֧ף וְחָלִ֛יל וָיַ֖יִן מִשְׁתֵּיהֶ֑ם וְאֵ֨ת פֹּ֤עַל יְהוָה֙ לֹ֣א יַבִּ֔יטוּ וּמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יָדָ֖יו לֹ֥א רָאֽוּ׃

They have [big parties and provide lots of] wine. At their parties, there are [people playing] harps and lyres and tambourines and flutes, but they never think about what Yahweh does or appreciate what he has created.

13 לָכֵ֛ן גָּלָ֥ה עַמִּ֖י מִבְּלִי־דָ֑עַת וּכְבֹודֹו֙ מְתֵ֣י רָעָ֔ב וַהֲמֹונֹ֖ו צִחֵ֥ה צָמָֽא׃

So, my people will be (exiled/taken to other countries) [far away] because they do not know [about me]. Those who are [now very important and] honored will starve, and the other people will die from thirst.

14 לָכֵ֗ן הִרְחִ֤יבָה שְּׁאֹול֙ נַפְשָׁ֔הּ וּפָעֲרָ֥ה פִ֖יהָ לִבְלִי־חֹ֑ק וְיָרַ֨ד הֲדָרָ֧הּ וַהֲמֹונָ֛הּ וּשְׁאֹונָ֖הּ וְעָלֵ֥ז בָּֽהּ׃ (Sheol h7585)

[It is as though] [PRS] the place where the dead people are is eagerly looking for more Israeli people, opening its mouth to swallow them, and a huge number of people will be thrown into that place, including their leaders as well as a noisy crowd of people who enjoy living in Jerusalem. (Sheol h7585)

15 וַיִּשַּׁ֥ח אָדָ֖ם וַיִּשְׁפַּל־אִ֑ישׁ וְעֵינֵ֥י גְבֹהִ֖ים תִּשְׁפַּֽלְנָה׃

[Yahweh] will get rid of a huge number of people; and he will humble [many more] people who [now] are proud/arrogant.

16 וַיִּגְבַּ֛ה יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֹ֖ות בַּמִּשְׁפָּ֑ט וְהָאֵל֙ הַקָּדֹ֔ושׁ נִקְדָּ֖שׁ בִּצְדָקָֽה׃

But the Commander of the armies of angels will be exalted/praised because of his acting justly. God will show that he is holy by doing righteous/just deeds.

17 וְרָע֥וּ כְבָשִׂ֖ים כְּדָבְרָ֑ם וְחָרְבֹ֥ות מֵחִ֖ים גָּרִ֥ים יֹאכֵֽלוּ׃

Then lambs and fat sheep will [be able to] find good grass to eat, [even] among the ruins [of the houses of rich people].

18 הֹ֛וי מֹשְׁכֵ֥י הֶֽעָוֹ֖ן בְּחַבְלֵ֣י הַשָּׁ֑וְא וְכַעֲבֹ֥ות הָעֲגָלָ֖ה חַטָּאָֽה׃

Some people constantly tell lies, and [it is as though] they are dragging behind them the wrong things that they have done. Terrible things will happen to them!

19 הָאֹמְרִ֗ים יְמַהֵ֧ר ׀ יָחִ֛ישָׁה מַעֲשֵׂ֖הוּ לְמַ֣עַן נִרְאֶ֑ה וְתִקְרַ֣ב וְתָבֹ֗ואָה עֲצַ֛ת קְדֹ֥ושׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וְנֵדָֽעָה׃ ס

They [make fun of God and] say [to him, ] “Go ahead, do something [to punish us]! We want to see what you will do. You, the Holy One of Israel, should do what you are planning to do, because we want to know what it is.”

20 הֹ֣וי הָאֹמְרִ֥ים לָרַ֛ע טֹ֖וב וְלַטֹּ֣וב רָ֑ע שָׂמִ֨ים חֹ֤שֶׁךְ לְאֹור֙ וְאֹ֣ור לְחֹ֔שֶׁךְ שָׂמִ֥ים מַ֛ר לְמָתֹ֖וק וּמָתֹ֥וק לְמָֽר׃ ס

Terrible things will happen to those who say that evil is good, and that good is evil, that darkness is light and that light is darkness, that what is bitter is sweet and what is sweet is bitter.

21 הֹ֖וי חֲכָמִ֣ים בְּעֵֽינֵיהֶ֑ם וְנֶ֥גֶד פְּנֵיהֶ֖ם נְבֹנִֽים׃

Terrible things will happen to those who think that they are wise and that they (are very clever/know everything).

22 הֹ֕וי גִּבֹּורִ֖ים לִשְׁתֹּ֣ות יָ֑יִן וְאַנְשֵׁי־חַ֖יִל לִמְסֹ֥ךְ שֵׁכָֽר׃

Terrible things will happen to those who [think that] [IRO] they are great/heroes because they are able to drink [lots of] wine, and boast about being able to mix good alcoholic drinks.

23 מַצְדִּיקֵ֥י רָשָׁ֖ע עֵ֣קֶב שֹׁ֑חַד וְצִדְקַ֥ת צַדִּיקִ֖ים יָסִ֥ירוּ מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ ס

If people offer them bribes in order that they will enable wicked people not to be punished, they accept those bribes, and they cause people who are innocent to be punished.

24 לָכֵן֩ כֶּאֱכֹ֨ל קַ֜שׁ לְשֹׁ֣ון אֵ֗שׁ וַחֲשַׁ֤שׁ לֶֽהָבָה֙ יִרְפֶּ֔ה שָׁרְשָׁם֙ כַּמָּ֣ק יִֽהְיֶ֔ה וּפִרְחָ֖ם כָּאָבָ֣ק יַעֲלֶ֑ה כִּ֣י מָאֲס֗וּ אֵ֚ת תֹּורַת֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָאֹ֔ות וְאֵ֛ת אִמְרַ֥ת קְדֹֽושׁ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל נִאֵֽצוּ׃

Therefore, just like [SIM] fires burn up stubble and dry grass shrivels up and quickly burns in flames, [it will be as though] those people have roots that will rot and have flowers that will wither. [That will happen] because they rejected the laws of the Commander of the armies of angels; they have despised the messages of the Holy One of Israel.

25 עַל־כֵּ֡ן חָרָה֩ אַף־יְהוָ֨ה בְּעַמֹּ֜ו וַיֵּ֣ט יָדֹ֧ו עָלָ֣יו וַיַּכֵּ֗הוּ וַֽיִּרְגְּזוּ֙ הֶֽהָרִ֔ים וַתְּהִ֧י נִבְלָתָ֛ם כַּסּוּחָ֖ה בְּקֶ֣רֶב חוּצֹ֑ות בְּכָל־זֹאת֙ לֹא־שָׁ֣ב אַפֹּ֔ו וְעֹ֖וד יָדֹ֥ו נְטוּיָֽה׃

That is why Yahweh is [extremely] angry [with his people]; [it is as though] his hand is raised [and he is ready to smash them]. [When he does that], the mountains will shake, and the corpses of people will be scattered in the streets like [SIM] manure. But even when that happens, Yahweh will still be very angry; he will be ready to punish his people [MET] again.

26 וְנָֽשָׂא־נֵ֤ס לַגֹּויִם֙ מֵרָחֹ֔וק וְשָׁ֥רַק לֹ֖ו מִקְצֵ֣ה הָאָ֑רֶץ וְהִנֵּ֥ה מְהֵרָ֖ה קַ֥ל יָבֹֽוא׃

Yahweh will send a signal to summon [armies of] nations far away; [it is as though] he will whistle [to summon those soldiers who are] in very remote places on the earth. They will come very swiftly [DOU] [to Jerusalem].

27 אֵין־עָיֵ֤ף וְאֵין־כֹּושֵׁל֙ בֹּ֔ו לֹ֥א יָנ֖וּם וְלֹ֣א יִישָׁ֑ן וְלֹ֤א נִפְתַּח֙ אֵזֹ֣ור חֲלָצָ֔יו וְלֹ֥א נִתַּ֖ק שְׂרֹ֥וךְ נְעָלָֽיו׃

They will not get tired or stumble. They will not [stop to] rest or to sleep. None of their belts will be loose, and none of them will have sandals with broken straps, [so they will all be ready to fight in battles].

28 אֲשֶׁ֤ר חִצָּיו֙ שְׁנוּנִ֔ים וְכָל־קַשְּׁתֹתָ֖יו דְּרֻכֹ֑ות פַּרְסֹ֤ות סוּסָיו֙ כַּצַּ֣ר נֶחְשָׁ֔בוּ וְגַלְגִּלָּ֖יו כַּסּוּפָֽה׃

Their arrows will be sharp, and their bows will be ready [to shoot those arrows in a battle]. [Because their horses pull the chariots fast], sparks will shoot out from their hooves, and the wheels of the chariots will spin like a whirlwind.

29 שְׁאָגָ֥ה לֹ֖ו כַּלָּבִ֑יא וְשָׁאַג (יִשְׁאַ֨ג) כַּכְּפִירִ֤ים וְיִנְהֹם֙ וְיֹאחֵ֣ז טֶ֔רֶף וְיַפְלִ֖יט וְאֵ֥ין מַצִּֽיל׃

They will roar like [very strong] lions [DOU] that growl and [then] pounce on the animals they want to kill and carry them off, and no one is able to rescue them.

30 וְיִנְהֹ֥ם עָלָ֛יו בַּיֹּ֥ום הַה֖וּא כְּנַהֲמַת־יָ֑ם וְנִבַּ֤ט לָאָ֙רֶץ֙ וְהִנֵּה־חֹ֔שֶׁךְ צַ֣ר וָאֹ֔ור חָשַׁ֖ךְ בַּעֲרִיפֶֽיהָ׃ פ

[Similarly, your enemies] will roar when they see the people they are about to kill, like [SIM] the sea roars. [On that day], if someone looks across the land, he will see [only people who are in] darkness and distressed; [it will be as though] even the sunlight is hidden by dark clouds.