Isaiah 55

1Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

1Listen! Everyone who is thirsty, come to the water! Even if you have no money, come, buy, and eat. Yes, come buy wine and milk without money and without any cost.

2Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

2Why do you spend your money on things that are not food? Why do you work so hard for things that do not satisfy you? Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and you will enjoy the best food.

3Incline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and your soul shall live: and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

3Pay attention and come to me. Listen, and you will truly live. I will make a permanent agreement with you, based on the faithful promises I made to David.

4Behold, I have given him for a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander to the peoples.

4Look, I made him a witness to the nations, a leader and a commander for the people.

5Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not; and a nation that knew not thee shall run unto thee, because of Jehovah thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.

5You will call out to nations you don’t even know, and nations that don’t know you will run to you. This will happen because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, because he has brought you honor.

6Seek ye Jehovah while he may be found; call ye upon him while he is near:

6Search for the LORD while he can still be found; call out to him while he is nearby.

7let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto Jehovah, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

7Let the wicked person give up his evil ways, and the bad man give up his wrong thoughts. Let them turn back to the LORD, and he will show them mercy; let them turn to our God, for he will freely forgive.

8For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith Jehovah.

8'My thoughts are not like your thoughts, and my ways are not like your ways,' says the LORD.

9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

9'Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts are higher than your thoughts.'

10For as the rain cometh down and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, and giveth seed to the sower and bread to the eater;

10The rain and snow come down from the sky and do not return without watering the earth. They make the plants grow and sprout, providing seed for the farmer and food for the hungry.

11so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

11It is the same with the word that comes out of my mouth. It will not return to me empty, but it will do what I want it to do and succeed in the mission I gave it.碎

12For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing; and all the trees of the fields shall clap their hands.

12You will go out with joy and be led along in peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees in the field will clap their hands.

13Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir-tree; and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle-tree: and it shall be to Jehovah for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

13Where there were thorns, cypress trees will grow. Where there were briars, myrtle trees will grow. This will bring honor to the LORD'S name; it will be a permanent sign that will never be destroyed.