Isaiah 1

¹ The Visions of Isaiah son of Amoz, that he hath seen concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

² Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, For Jehovah hath spoken: Sons I have nourished and brought up, And they — they transgressed against Me.

³ An ox hath known its owner, And an ass the crib of its master, Israel hath not known, My people hath not understood.

⁴ Ah, sinning nation, a people heavy [with] iniquity, A seed of evil doers, sons — corrupters! They have forsaken Jehovah, They have despised the Holy One of Israel, They have gone away backward.

⁵ Wherefore are ye stricken any more? Ye do add apostasy! Every head is become diseased, and every heart [is] sick.

⁶ From the sole of the foot — unto the head, There is no soundness in it, Wound, and bruise, and fresh smiting! They have not been closed nor bound, Nor have they softened with ointment.

⁷ Your land [is] a desolation, your cities burnt with fire, Your ground, before you strangers are consuming it, And a desolation as overthrown by strangers!

⁸ And left hath been the daughter of Zion, As a booth in a vineyard, As a lodge in a place of cucumbers — as a city besieged.

⁹ Unless Jehovah of Hosts had left to us a remnant, Shortly — as Sodom we had been, To Gomorrah we had been like!

¹⁰ Hear the word of Jehovah, ye rulers of Sodom, Give ear to the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah,

¹¹ ‘Why to Me the abundance of your sacrifices? saith Jehovah, I have been satiated [with] burnt-offerings of rams, And fat of fatlings; And blood of bullocks, and lambs, And he-goats I have not desired.

¹² When ye come in to appear before Me, Who hath required this of your hand, To trample My courts?

¹³ Add not to bring in a vain present, Incense — an abomination it [is] to Me, New moon, and sabbath, calling of convocation! Rendure not iniquity — and a restraint!

¹⁴ Your new moons and your set seasons hath My soul hated, They have been upon me for a burden, I have been weary of bearing.

¹⁵ And in your spreading forth your hands, I hide mine eyes from you, Also when ye increase prayer, I do not hear, Your hands of blood have been full.

¹⁶ Wash ye, make ye pure, Turn aside the evil of your doings, from before Mine eyes, Cease to do evil, learn to do good.

¹⁷ Seek judgment, make happy the oppressed, Judge the fatherless, strive [for] the widow.

¹⁸ Come, I pray you, and we reason, saith Jehovah, If your sins are as scarlet, as snow they shall be white, If they are red as crimson, as wool they shall be!

¹⁹ If ye are willing, and have hearkened, The good of the land ye consume,

²⁰ And if ye refuse, and have rebelled, [By] the sword ye are consumed, For the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken.

²¹ How hath a faithful city become a harlot? I have filled it [with] judgment, Righteousness lodgeth in it — now murderers.

²² Thy silver hath become dross, Thy drink polluted with water.

²³ Thy princes [are] apostates, and companions of thieves, Every one loving a bribe, and pursuing rewards, The fatherless they judge not, And the plea of the widow cometh not to them.

²⁴ Therefore — the affirmation of the Lord — Jehovah of Hosts, the Mighty One of Israel: Ah, I am eased of Mine adversaries, And I am avenged of Mine enemies,

²⁵ And I turn back My hand upon thee, And I refine as purity thy dross, And I turn aside all thy tin,

²⁶ And I give back thy judges as at the first, And thy counsellors as in the beginning, After this thou art called, ‘A city of righteousness — a faithful city.’

²⁷ Zion in judgment is redeemed, And her captivity in righteousness.

²⁸ And the destruction of transgressors and sinners [is] together, And those forsaking Jehovah are consumed.

²⁹ For [men] are ashamed because of the oaks That ye have desired, And ye are confounded because of the gardens That ye have chosen.

³⁰ For ye are as an oak whose leaf is fading, And as a garden that hath no water.

³¹ And the strong hath been for tow, And his work for a spark, And burned have both of them together, And there is none quenching!