Isaiah 55

1 “Come, everyone who is thirsty, come to the water, and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.

Ye that thirst, go to the water, and all that have no money, go [and] buy; and eat [and drink] wine and fat without money or price.

2 Why do you weigh out silver for what is not bread, and why do you labor for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in fatness.

Wherefore do ye value at the price of money, and [give] your labour for that which will not satisfy? hearken to me, and ye shall eat that which is good, and your soul shall feast itself on good things.

3 Turn your ears and come to me! Listen, that you may live! I will make an everlasting covenant with you—my reliable, faithful love that I promised to David.

Give heed with your ears, and follow my ways: hearken to me, and your soul shall live in prosperity; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, the sure mercies of David.

4 Look, I have placed him as a witness to the nations, as a leader and commander to the peoples.

Behold I have made him a testimony among the Gentiles, a prince and commander to the Gentiles.

5 Look, you will call to a nation that you did not know; and a nation that did not know you will run to you because of Yahweh your God, the Holy One of Israel, who has glorified you.”

Nations which know thee not, shall call upon thee, and peoples which are not acquainted with thee, shall flee to thee for refuge, for the sake of the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel; for he has glorified thee.

6 Seek Yahweh while he may be found; call on him while he is nearby.

Seek ye the Lord, and when ye find him, call upon him; and when he shall draw nigh to you,

7 Let the wicked leave his path, and the man of sin his thoughts. Let him return to Yahweh, and he will pity him, and to our God, who will abundantly forgive him.

let the ungodly leave his ways, and the transgressor his counsels: and let him return to the Lord, and he shall find mercy; for he shall abundantly pardon your sins.

8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways—this is Yahweh's declaration—

For my counsels are not as your counsels, nor are my ways as your ways, saith the Lord.

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

But as the heaven is distant from the earth, so is my way distant from your ways, and your thoughts from my mind.

10 For as the rain and snow come down from heaven and do not return there unless they saturate the earth and make it produce and sprout and give seed to the farmer who sows and bread to the eater,

For as rain shall come down, or snow, from heaven, and shall not return until it have saturated the earth, and it bring forth, and bud, and give seed to the sower, and bread for food:

11 so also my word will be that goes from my mouth—it will not return to me empty, but it will achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

so shall my word be, whatever shall proceed out of my mouth, it shall by no means turn back, until all the things which I willed shall have been accomplished; and I will make thy ways prosperous, and [will effect] my commands.

12 For you will go out in joy and be led along peacefully; the mountains and the hills will break out in joyful shouts before you, and all the trees of the fields will clap their hands.

For ye shall go forth with joy, and shall be taught with gladness: for the mountains and the hills shall exult to welcome you with joy, and all the trees of the field shall applaud with their branches.

13 Instead of the thornbushes, the cypress will grow; and instead of the brier, the myrtle tree will grow, and it will be for Yahweh, for his name, as an everlasting sign that will not be cut off.”

And instead of the bramble shall come up the cypress, and instead of the nettle shall come up the myrtle: and the Lord shall be for a name, and for an everlasting sign, and shall not fail.