Esias 1

1 The vision which Esaias the son of Amos saw, which he saw against Juda, and against Jerusalem, in the reign of Ozias, and Joatham, and Achaz, and Ezekias, who reigned over Judea.

The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

2 Hear, O heaven, and hearken, O earth: for the Lord has spoken, [saying], I have begotten and reared up children, but they have rebelled against me.

Hear, heavens, and listen, earth; for YHWH has spoken: I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.

3 The ox knows his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel does not know me, and the people has not regarded me.

The ox knows his owner, and the donkey his master's crib; but Israel doesn't know, my people do not understand.

4 Ah sinful nation, a people full of sins, an evil seed, lawless children: ye have forsaken the Lord, and provoked the Holy One of Israel.

Ah sinful nation, a people loaded with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly. They have forsaken YHWH. They have despised the Holy One of Israel. They are estranged and backward.

5 Why should ye be smitten [any] more, transgressing more and more? the whole head is pained, and the whole heart sad.

Why should you be beaten more, that you revolt more and more? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.

6 From the feet to the head, there is no soundness in them; neither wound, nor bruise, nor festering ulcer [are healed]: it is not possible to apply a plaister, nor oil, nor bandages.

From the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness in it: wounds, welts, and open sores. They haven't been closed, neither bandaged, neither soothed with oil.

7 Your land is desolate, your cities burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is made desolate, overthrown by strange nations.

Your country is desolate. Your cities are burned with fire. Strangers devour your land in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.

8 The daughter of Sion shall be deserted as a tent in a vineyard, and as a storehouse of fruits in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.

The daughter of Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard, like a hut in a field of cucumbers, like a besieged city.

9 And if the Lord of Sabaoth had not left us a seed, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been made like Gomorrha.

Unless YHWH of hosts had left us a few survivors, we would have been as Sodom, and we would have been like Gomorrah.

10 Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodoma; attend to the law of God, thou people of Gomorrha.

Hear the word of YHWH, you rulers of Sodom. Listen to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah.

11 Of what [value] to me is the abundance of your sacrifices? saith the Lord: I am full of whole-burnt-offerings of rams; and I delight not in the fat of lambs, and the blood of bulls and goats:

"What are the multitude of your sacrifices to me?," says YHWH. "I have had enough of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed animals. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of male goats.

12 neither shall ye come [with these] to appear before me; for who has required these things at your hands? Ye shall no more tread my court.

When you come to appear before me, who has required this at your hand, to trample my courts?

13 Though ye bring fine flour, [it is] vain; incense is an abomination to me; I cannot bear your new moons, and your sabbaths, and the great day;

Bring no more vain offerings. Incense is an abomination to me; new moons, Sabbaths, and convocations: I can't bear with evil assemblies.

14 [your] fasting, and rest from work, your new moons also, and your feasts my soul hates: ye have become loathsome to me; I will no more pardon your sins.

My soul hates your New Moons and your appointed feasts. They are a burden to me. I am weary of bearing them.

15 When ye stretch forth your hands, I will turn away mine eyes from you: and though ye make many supplications, I will not hearken to you; for your hands are full of blood.

When you spread forth your hands, I will hide my eyes from you. Yes, when you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood.

16 Wash you, be clean; remove your iniquities from your souls before mine eyes; cease from your iniquities;

Wash yourselves, make yourself clean. Put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes. Cease to do evil.

17 learn to do well; diligently seek judgment, deliver him that is suffering wrong, plead for the orphan, and obtain justice for the widow.

Learn to do well. Seek justice. Relieve the oppressed. Judge the fatherless. Plead for the widow."

18 And come, let us reason together, saith the Lord: and though your sins be as purple, I will make them white as snow; and though they be as scarlet, I will make [them] white as wool.

"Come now, and let us reason together," says YHWH: "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

19 And if ye be willing, and hearken to me, ye shall eat the good of the land:

If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land;

20 but if ye be not willing, nor hearken to me, a sword shall devour you: for the mouth of the Lord has spoken this.

but if you refuse and rebel, the sword shall devour you; for the mouth of YHWH has spoken it."

21 How has the faithful city Sion, [once] full of judgment, become a harlot! wherein righteousness lodged, but now murderers.

How the faithful city has become a prostitute. She was full of justice; righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers.

22 Your silver is worthless, thy wine merchants mix the wine with water.

Your silver has become dross, your wine mixed with water.

23 Thy princes are rebellious, companions of thieves, loving bribes, seeking after rewards; not pleading for orphans, and not heeding the cause of widows.

Your rulers are rebellious, companions of thieves. Everyone loves a bribe, chasing after payoffs. They do not judge the fatherless, neither does the cause of the widow come to them.

24 Therefore thus saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts, Woe to the mighty [men] of Israel; for my wrath shall not cease against mine adversaries, and I will execute judgment on mine enemies.

Therefore YHWH of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, says: "Ah, I will get relief from my adversaries, and avenge myself of my enemies;

25 And I will bring my hand upon thee, and purge thee completely, and I will destroy the rebellious, and will take away from thee all transgressors.

and I will turn my hand against you, and I will purge away your dross, and I will take away all your slag.

26 And I will establish thy judges as before, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: and afterward thou shalt be called the city of righteousness, the faithful mother-city of Sion.

I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called 'The city of righteousness, a faithful town.'

27 For her captives shall be saved with judgment, and with mercy.

Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and her converts with righteousness.

28 And the transgressors and the sinners shall be crushed together, and they that forsake the Lord shall be utterly consumed.

But the destruction of transgressors and sinners shall be together, and those who forsake YHWH shall be consumed.

29 For they shall be ashamed of their idols, which they delighted in, and they are made ashamed of the gardens which they coveted.

For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which you have desired, and you shall be confounded for the gardens that you have chosen.

30 For they shall be as a turpentine tree that has cast its leaves, and as a garden that has no water.

For you shall be as an oak whose leaf fades, and as a garden that has no water.

31 And their strength shall be as a thread of tow, and their works as sparks, and the transgressors and the sinners shall be burnt up together, and there shall be none to quench [them].

The strong will be like tinder, and his work like a spark. They will both burn together, and no one will quench them."