Isaiah 55

1 “Hey! Come, everyone who thirsts, to the waters! Come, he who has no money, buy, and eat! Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

“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.

2 Why do you spend money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which doesn’t satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in richness.

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.

3 Turn your ear, and come to me. Hear, and your soul will live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

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.

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

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

5 Behold, you shall call a nation that you don’t know; and a nation that didn’t know you shall run to you, because of the LORD your God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he has glorified you.”

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.”

6 Seek the LORD while he may be found. Call on him while he is near.

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

7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, to our God, for he will freely pardon.

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.

8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways,” says the LORD.

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

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

10 For as the rain comes down and the snow from the sky, and doesn’t return there, but waters the earth, and makes it grow and bud, and gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater;

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,

11 so is my word that goes out of my mouth: it will not return to me void, but it will accomplish that which I please, and it will prosper in the thing I sent it to do.

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.

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

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.

13 Instead of the thorn the cypress tree will come up; and instead of the brier the myrtle tree will come up. It will make a name for the LORD, for an everlasting sign that will not be cut off.”

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.”