Isaiah, 1

1. The vision which Isaiah, son of Amoz, had concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

1. The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz concerning Judah and Jerusalem, which he received in the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah kings of Judah.

2. Hear, O heavens, and listen, O earth, for the LORD speaks: Sons have I raised and reared, but they have disowned me!

2. Listen, you heavens; earth, attend, for Yahweh is speaking, 'I have reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me.

3. An ox knows its owner, and an ass, its master's manger; But Israel does not know, my people has not understood.

3. The ox knows its owner and the donkey its master's crib; Israel does not know, my people do not understand.'

4. Ah! sinful nation, people laden with wickedness, evil race, corrupt children! They have forsaken the LORD, spurned the Holy One of Israel, apostatized.

4. Disaster, sinful nation, people weighed down with guilt, race of wrong-doers, perverted children! They have abandoned Yahweh, despised the Holy One of Israel, they have turned away from him.

5. Where would you yet be struck, you that rebel again and again? The whole head is sick, the whole heart faint.

5. Where shall I strike you next, if you persist in treason? The whole head is sick, the whole heart is diseased,

6. From the sole of the foot to the head there is no sound spot: Wound and welt and gaping gash, not drained, or bandaged, or eased with salve.

6. from the sole of the foot to the head there is nothing healthy: only wounds, bruises and open sores not dressed, not bandaged, not soothed with ointment,

7. Your country is waste, your cities burnt with fire; Your land before your eyes strangers devour (a waste, like Sodom overthrown)--

7. your country a desolation, your towns burnt down, your soil, foreigners lay it waste before your eyes, a desolation like devastation by foreigners.

8. And daughter Zion is left like a hut in a vineyard, Like a shed in a melon patch, like a city blockaded.

8. The daughter of Zion is left like a shanty in a vineyard, like a shed in a cucumber field, like a city besieged.

9. Unless the LORD of hosts had left us a scanty remnant, We had become as Sodom, we should be like Gomorrah.

9. Had Yahweh Sabaoth not left us a few survivors, we should be like Sodom, we should be the same as Gomorrah.

10. Hear the word of the LORD, princes of Sodom! Listen to the instruction of our God, people of Gomorrah!

10. Hear what Yahweh says, you rulers of Sodom; listen to what our God teaches, you people of Gomorrah.

11. What care I for the number of your sacrifices? says the LORD. I have had enough of whole-burnt rams and fat of fatlings; In the blood of calves, lambs and goats I find no pleasure.

11. 'What are your endless sacrifices to me?' says Yahweh. 'I am sick of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of calves. I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.

12. When you come in to visit me, who asks these things of you?

12. When you come and present yourselves before me, who has asked you to trample through my courts?

13. Trample my courts no more! Bring no more worthless offerings; your incense is loathsome to me. New moon and sabbath, calling of assemblies, octaves with wickedness: these I cannot bear.

13. Bring no more futile cereal offerings, the smoke from them fills me with disgust. New Moons, Sabbaths, assemblies -- I cannot endure solemnity combined with guilt.

14. Your new moons and festivals I detest; they weigh me down, I tire of the load.

14. Your New Moons and your meetings I utterly detest; to me they are a burden I am tired of bearing.

15. When you spread out your hands, I close my eyes to you; Though you pray the more, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood!

15. When you stretch out your hands I turn my eyes away. You may multiply your prayers, I shall not be listening. Your hands are covered in blood,

16. Wash yourselves clean! Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes; cease doing evil;

16. wash, make yourselves clean. Take your wrong-doing out of my sight. Cease doing evil.

17. learn to do good. Make justice your aim: redress the wronged, hear the orphan's plea, defend the widow.

17. Learn to do good, search for justice, discipline the violent, be just to the orphan, plead for the widow.

18. Come now, let us set things right, says the LORD: Though your sins be like scarlet, they may become white as snow; Though they be crimson red, they may become white as wool.

18. 'Come, let us talk this over,' says Yahweh. 'Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

19. If you are willing, and obey, you shall eat the good things of the land;

19. If you are willing to obey, you shall eat the good things of the earth.

20. But if you refuse and resist, the sword shall consume you: for the mouth of the LORD has spoken!

20. But if you refuse and rebel, the sword shall eat you instead -- for Yahweh's mouth has spoken.'

21. How has she turned adulteress, the faithful city, so upright! Justice used to lodge within her, but now, murderers.

21. The faithful city, what a harlot she has become! Zion, once full of fair judgement, where saving justice used to dwell, but now assassins!

22. Your silver is turned to dross, your wine is mixed with water.

22. Your silver has turned into dross, your wine is watered.

23. Your princes are rebels and comrades of thieves; Each one of them loves a bribe and looks for gifts. The fatherless they defend not, and the widow's plea does not reach them.

23. Your princes are rebels, accomplices of brigands. All of them greedy for presents and eager for bribes, they show no justice to the orphan, and the widow's cause never reaches them.

24. Now, therefore, says the Lord, the LORD of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel: Ah! I will take vengeance on my foes and fully repay my enemies!

24. Hence, the Lord Yahweh Sabaoth, the Mighty One of Israel, says this, 'Disaster, I shall get the better of my enemies, I shall avenge myself on my foes.

25. I will turn my hand against you, and refine your dross in the furnace, removing all your alloy.

25. 'I shall turn my hand against you, I shall purge your dross as though with potash, I shall remove all your alloy.

26. I will restore your judges as at first, and your counselors as in the beginning; After that you shall be called city of justice, faithful city.

26. 'And I shall restore your judges as at first, your counsellors as in bygone days, after which you will be called City of Saving Justice, Faithful City.'

27. Zion shall be redeemed by judgment, and her repentant ones by justice.

27. Zion will be redeemed by fair judgement, and those who return, by saving justice.

28. Rebels and sinners alike shall be crushed, those who desert the LORD shall be consumed.

28. Rebels and sinners alike will be destroyed, and those who abandon Yahweh will perish.

29. You shall be ashamed of the terebinths which you prized, and blush for the groves which you chose.

29. How ashamed you will be of the terebinths which gave you such delight; and how you will blush for the gardens which you chose!

30. You shall become like a tree with falling leaves, like a garden that has no water.

30. For you will be like a terebinth with faded leaves, like a garden without water;

31. The strong man shall turn to tow, and his work shall become a spark; Both shall burn together, and there shall be none to quench the flames.

31. the strong will become like tinder, his work like the spark; both will go up in flames together, with no one to put them out.