Isaiah 65

1 I have bene sought of them that asked not: I was found of them that sought me not: I sayd, Beholde me, beholde me, vnto a nation that called not vpon my Name.

[This is what Yahweh said]: “I was ready to reply [to my people], but no one requested me [to help them]. I was ready to help [even] those who did not call out to me. I continued to say, ‘I am here [to help you]!’

2 I haue spred out mine handes all the day vnto a rebellious people, which walked in a way that was not good, euen after their owne imaginations:

[It is as though] I have continually held out my arms [to show that I am ready to help] my people who rebel [against me], and who [continually] do the evil things that they want to do.

3 A people that prouoked me euer vnto my face: that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense vpon brickes.

They boldly continue to do things that cause me to be angry: They offer sacrifices [to their idols] in their gardens, and they burn incense [to them] on [altars made of] bricks.

4 Which remaine among the graues, and lodge in the desarts, which eate swines flesh, and the broth of things polluted are in their vessels.

They secretly remain awake at night in burial caves, [talking with the spirits of] ([dead people/their ancestors]). They eat the meat of pigs, and their pots are full of [other] meat that is [also] unacceptable to me.

5 Which say, Stand apart, come not neere to me: for I am holier then thou: these are a smoke in my wrath and a fire that burneth all the day.

[Then] they say [to others], ‘Stay away from me; do not come near me, because I am very holy, [with the result that you should not touch me].’ People like that are [like] [MET] smoke in my nose [from] a fire that burns continually.

6 Beholde, it is written before me: I wil not keepe silence, but will render it and recompense it into their bosome.

I have written [a record of all the evil things that they have done]. And I will not do nothing about all those things; I will certainly punish them

7 Your iniquities and the iniquities of your fathers shalbe together (sayth the Lord) which haue burnt incense vpon the mountaines, and blasphemed me vpon the hilles: therefore wil I measure their olde worke into their bosome.

for the sins that they and their ancestors have committed. They have mocked/insulted me by burning incense [to their idols] on the hilltops. So I will punish them like they deserve for doing those things.”

8 Thus sayth the Lord, As the wine is found in the cluster, and one sayth, Destroy it not, for a blessing is in it, so will I doe for my seruants sakes, that I may not destroy them whole.

This is [also] what Yahweh said: “When there is a cluster of nice grapes on a vine, people do not throw them away, because they know that there is good juice in those grapes. Similarly, because there are some people [in Judah] who faithfully serve/worship me, I will not get rid of all of them.

9 But I will bring a seede out of Iaakob, and out of Iudah, that shall inherit my mountaine: and mine elect shall inherit it, and my seruants shall dwell there.

I will spare some of the descendants of Jacob who are living on the hills of Judah. I have chosen them, and they will possess that land; they will worship/serve me, and they will live there.

10 And Sharon shalbe a sheepefolde, and the valley of Achor shalbe a resting place for the cattell of my people, that haue sought me.

[Then all the land from the] Sharon [Plain near the Mediterranean Sea] and [as far east as] Achor Valley [near Jericho] will become pastureland where their cattle and sheep will rest.

11 But ye are they that haue forsaken the Lord and forgotten mine holy Mountaine, and haue prepared a table for the multitude, and furnish the drinke offerings vnto the number.

But [it will be different] for you who have abandoned me, you who do not worship me on [Zion], my sacred hill, you who worship Gad and Meni, [the gods who you think will bring you] good luck and good fortune.

12 Therefore wil I number you to the sword, and all you shall bowe downe to the slaughter, because I called, and ye did not answere: I spake, and ye heard not, but did euil in my sight, and did chuse that thing which I would not.

[It is I, not Meni, who will decide/say what will happen to you]; you will all [be slaughtered by] swords. [That will happen] because you did not answer when I called out to you. I spoke to you, but you did not pay attention. Instead, you did things that I said are evil; you chose to do things that do not please me.

13 Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Beholde, my seruants shall eate, and ye shalbe hungrie: beholde, my seruants shall drinke, and ye shall be thirstie: beholde, my seruants shall reioyce, and ye shalbe ashamed.

I, Yahweh the Lord, will give to those who worship and obey me things to eat and drink, and they will be happy; but [all] you evil people will be hungry and thirsty, and you will be [sad and] disgraced.

14 Beholde, my seruants shall sing for ioye of heart, and ye shall crye for sorow of heart, and shall howle for vexation of minde.

Those who worship and obey me will sing joyfully, but you [evil people] will wail loudly because you will be suffering in your inner beings.

15 And ye shall leaue your name as a curse vnto my chosen: for the Lord God shall slay you and call his seruants by another name.

Those whom I have chosen will use your names when they curse people; [I], Yahweh the Lord, will get rid of you. But I will give to those who worship and obey me a new name [that they will use when they bless people].

16 He that shall blesse in the earth, shall blesse himselfe in the true God, and he that sweareth in the earth, shall sweare by the true God: for the former troubles are forgotten, and shall surely hide themselues from mine eyes.

The people in this land have had many troubles, but I will cause those troubles to occur no more. Therefore those who ask me to bless them and those who solemnly promise to do something should never forget that I am God, who faithfully [do what I promise to do].”

17 For lo, I will create newe heauens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembred nor come into minde.

“Note this: [Some day] I will create a new heaven and a new earth. [They will be very wonderful, with the result that] you will no longer think about all [the troubles] you had previously.

18 But be you glad and reioyce for euer in the things that I shall create: for beholde, I will create Ierusalem, as a reioycing and her people as a ioye,

Be glad and always rejoice because of what I will do: Jerusalem will be a place where [people] rejoice; the people who live there will always be happy.

19 And I wil reioyce in Ierusalem, and ioye in my people, and the voyce of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voyce of crying.

I will rejoice about Jerusalem, and I will be delighted with my people. [People] will no longer weep or cry because of being distressed.

20 There shall be no more there a childe of yeeres, nor an olde man that hath not filled his dayes: for he that shall be an hundreth yeeres old, shall dye as a yong man: but the sinner being an hundreth yeeres olde shall be accursed.

No child will die when it is still an infant; all people will live until they are very old. [People will consider that] anyone who is 100 years old is still young; [they will consider that] anyone who dies who is younger than that has been cursed.

21 And they shall build houses and inhabite them, and they shall plant vineyards, and eate the fruite of them.

My people will build houses and [then] live in them. They will plant vineyards and then eat grapes from those vineyards.

22 They shall not build, and another inhabite: they shall not plant, and another eate: for as the dayes of the tree are the dayes of my people, and mine elect shall inioye in olde age the worke of their handes.

As for the houses that they build, no one will [take those houses away from them and] live in them. No one will take a vineyard away from its owner. My chosen people will live a long time, like trees do, and they will enjoy what they have accomplished— [the houses that they have built and the crops that they have planted].

23 They shall not labour in vaine, nor bring forth in feare: for they are the seede of the blessed of the Lord, and their buds with them.

They will not work hard in vain, and their children will not die from some (calamity/terrible thing happening to them). I will [certainly] bless their children and their grandchildren.

24 Yea, before they call, I will answere, and whiles they speake, I will heare.

Before they call to me [to help them], I will answer; I will answer their prayers while they are still praying [for me to do something for them].

25 The wolfe and the lambe shall feede together, and the lyon shall eate strawe like the bullocke: and to the serpent dust shall be his meate. They shall no more hurt nor destroy in all mine holy Mountaine, saith the Lord.

No one will be harmed or injured anywhere on [Zion], my sacred hill: Wolves and lambs will eat grass together [peacefully]; lions will eat hay like oxen do, [and they will not attack people]. Snakes will [not hurt anyone; they will lie on the ground and] eat [only] dirt. [That is surely what it will be like because I], Yahweh, have said it.”