Isaiah, 1

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.

1. The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzzi'ah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezeki'ah, kings of Judah.

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

2. Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the LORD has spoken: "Sons have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me.

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

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

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.

4. Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, sons who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the LORD, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged.

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

5. Why will you still be smitten, that you continue to rebel? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.

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,

6. From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but bruises and sores and bleeding wounds; they are not pressed out, or bound up, or softened with oil.

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

7. Your country lies desolate, your cities are burned with fire; in your very presence aliens devour your land; it is desolate, as overthrown by aliens.

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

8. And the daughter of Zion is left like a booth in a vineyard, like a lodge in a cucumber field, like a besieged city.

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

9. If the LORD of hosts had not left us a few survivors, we should have been like Sodom, and become like Gomor'rah.

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

10. Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom! Give ear to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomor'rah!

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.

11. "What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the LORD; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of he-goats.

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

12. "When you come to appear before me, who requires of you this trampling of my courts?

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.

13. Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and sabbath and the calling of assemblies -- I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly.

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

14. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to me, I am weary of bearing them.

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,

15. When you spread forth your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood.

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

16. Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil,

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

17. learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.

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.

18. "Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.

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

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

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

20. But if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

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!

21. How the faithful city has become a harlot, she that was full of justice! Righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers.

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

22. Your silver has become dross, your wine mixed with water.

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.

23. Your princes are rebels and companions of thieves. Every one loves a bribe and runs after gifts. They do not defend the fatherless, and the widow's cause does not come to them.

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.

24. Therefore the Lord says, the LORD of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel: "Ah, I will vent my wrath on my enemies, and avenge myself on my foes.

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

25. I will turn my hand against you and will smelt away your dross as with lye and remove all your alloy.

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.'

26. And I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city."

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

27. Zion shall be redeemed by justice, and those in her who repent, by righteousness.

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

28. But rebels and sinners shall be destroyed together, and those who forsake the LORD shall be consumed.

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!

29. For you shall be ashamed of the oaks in which you delighted; and you shall blush for the gardens which you have chosen.

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

30. For you shall be like an oak whose leaf withers, and like a garden without water.

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.

31. And the strong shall become tow, and his work a spark, and both of them shall burn together, with none to quench them.