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.
Ho! every one that thirsteth! Come ye to the waters, Yea he that hath no money, —Come ye—buy corn, and eat, Yea come—buy corn without money, And without price, wine and milk,
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 should ye spend, Money, for that which is not bread? Or your labour, for that which, satisfieth not? Keep on hearkening unto me, And, so eat that which is good, And let your soul take exquisite delight in fatness:
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.
Incline your ear, and come unto me, Hearken, That your soul, may live, —That I may solemnise for you a covenant age-abiding, The Lovingkindness to David, well-assured.
4 Look, I have placed him as a witness to the nations, as a leader and commander to the peoples.
Lo! As a witness to the peoples, have I given him, —As a leader and commander to the peoples:
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.”
Lo! A nation thou shalt not know, shalt thou call, And, a nation which hath not known thee, unto thee, shall run, —For the sake of Yahweh thy God, And for the Holy One of Israel, because he hath adorned thee.
6 Seek Yahweh while he may be found; call on him while he is nearby.
Seek Yahweh while he may be found, —Call ye upon him while he is near:
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 lawless forsake his way, And the man of iniquity, his thoughts, —And let him return unto Yahweh That he may have compassion upon him, And unto our God, For he will abundantly pardon.
8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways—this is Yahweh's declaration—
For, my thoughts, are not, your thoughts, Nor, your ways, my ways, —Declareth Yahweh.
9 for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
For, higher, are the heavens than the earth, —So, higher, are My ways than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.
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 the rain and the snow descend from the heavens. And thither, do not return, Except they have watered the earth. And caused it to bring forth and bud, —And given seed to the sower, and bread to the eater,
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 that goeth forth out of my mouth, It shall not return unto me void, —But shall accomplish that which I please, And shall prosper in that whereunto I have sent it.
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 with gladness shall ye come forth, And in peace, shall ye be led, —the mountains and the hills shall break out, before you, into shouts of triumph, And all the wild trees shall clap their hands:
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.”
Instead of the thorn-bush, shall come up the fir-tree, And instead of the nettle, shall come up the myrtle-tree, —So shall it become unto Yahweh, a Name, A Sign age-abiding, which shall not be cut off.
