Isaiah 1

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

1This is the vision that Isaiah son of Amoz saw regarding Judah and Jerusalem during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, the kings of Judah.

2Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for Jehovah hath spoken: I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.

2Listen, heavens, and pay attention, earth, for the LORD has spoken: 'I raised children and saw them grow up, but they have rebelled against me.'

3The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib; but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.

3An ox knows its owner and a donkey knows where its master feeds it, but Israel does not know me; my people do not understand.

4Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil-doers, children that deal corruptly! they have forsaken Jehovah, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are estranged and gone backward.

4O sinful nation, a people weighed down with guilt, a generation of evildoers, children who play at corruption! They have abandoned the LORD; they have despised the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him.

5Why will ye be still stricken, that ye revolt more and more? the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.

5Why do you want more beatings? Why do you keep rebelling? Your whole head is sick, and your whole heart is weak.

6From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and fresh stripes: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with oil.

6From the soles of your feet to the top of your head, there is no healthy spot—only wounds, welts, and open sores that haven't been cleaned, bandaged, or treated with soothing oil.

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

7Your country is a wasteland; your cities are burned to the ground. Foreigners are stripping your fields right in front of you, leaving everything destroyed as if overturned by an army.

8And the daughter of Zion is left as a booth in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.

8Jerusalem is left behind like a flimsy shack in a vineyard, like a shelter in a cucumber field, like a city under attack.

9Except Jehovah of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, we should have been like unto Gomorrah.

9If the LORD of Armies had not left us a few survivors, we would have become like Sodom and been just like Gomorrah.

10Hear the word of Jehovah, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.

10Listen to the word of the LORD, you leaders of Sodom! Pay attention to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah!

11What unto me is the multitude of your sacrifices? saith Jehovah: I have had enough of the burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he-goats.

11'What do I care about all your sacrifices?' asks the LORD. 'I have had more than enough of your burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed animals. I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs, or goats.'

12When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to trample my courts?

12When you come to worship me, who asked you to trample through my courtyards like this?

13Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; new moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies,—I cannot away with iniquity and the solemn meeting.

13Stop bringing me meaningless offerings! Your incense is disgusting to me. Your New Moon festivals, Sabbaths, and special meetings—I cannot stand your evil combined with your religious gatherings.

14Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth; they are a trouble unto me; I am weary of bearing them.

14I hate your New Moon celebrations and your appointed feasts with all my heart. They have become a burden to me; I am tired of putting up with them.

15And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.

15When you lift your hands in prayer, I will look away. Even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen, because your hands are covered in blood.

16Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;

16Wash yourselves and make yourselves clean! Get your evil actions out of my sight. Stop doing wrong.

17learn to do well; seek justice, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

17Learn to do good. Seek justice and help those who are oppressed. Defend the rights of orphans and argue the case for widows.

18Come now, and let us reason together, saith Jehovah: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

18'Come now, let us settle this matter,' says the LORD. 'Though your sins are bright red like scarlet, they will be as white as snow. Though they are deep red like crimson, they will be like white wool.'

19If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:

19If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best food the land produces.

20but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword; for the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken it.

20But if you refuse and rebel, you will be destroyed by the sword. The LORD has spoken this with his own mouth.

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

21See how the faithful city has become like a prostitute! She used to be filled with justice and lived righteously, but now she is full of murderers.

22Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water.

22Your silver has become worthless scrap metal, and your fine wine is watered down.

23Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves; every one loveth bribes, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.

23Your leaders are rebels and friends of thieves. Everyone loves a bribe and runs after rewards. They do not defend the orphan, and the widow’s cry for help never reaches them.

24Therefore saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies;

24Therefore the Lord, the LORD of Armies, the Mighty One of Israel, declares: 'I will get relief from my foes and take revenge on my enemies.'

25and I will turn my hand upon thee, and thoroughly purge away thy dross, and will take away all thy tin;

25'I will turn my hand against you; I will melt away your impurities and remove all your cheap metal.'

26and I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called The city of righteousness, a faithful town.

26'I will give you honest judges again and wise counselors like you had at the beginning. Afterward, you will be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City.'

27Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and her converts with righteousness.

27Jerusalem will be set free by justice, and those who repent will be redeemed by righteousness.

28But the destruction of transgressors and sinners shall be together, and they that forsake Jehovah shall be consumed.

28But rebels and sinners will be broken together, and those who abandon the LORD will perish.

29For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen.

29You will be ashamed of those sacred oak trees you loved, and embarrassed by the ritual gardens you chose.

30For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water.

30You will be like an oak tree with withered leaves, or like a garden that has no water.

31And the strong shall be as tow, and his work as a spark; and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.

31The strong man will be like dry tinder and his work like a spark; they will both burn together, and no one will be able to put out the fire.