Isaiah 56

1 Thus says the Lord: Preserve judgment, and accomplish justice. For my salvation is close to its arrival, and my justice is close to being revealed.

This is what Yahweh says, “Observe what is right, do what is just; for my salvation is near, and my righteousness is about to be revealed.

2 Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds to this, keeping the Sabbath and not profaning it, guarding his hands and not doing any evil.

Blessed is the man that does this, and who holds it tightly. He observes the Sabbath, not defiling it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil.”

3 And let not the son of the new arrival, who adheres to the Lord, speak, saying, “The Lord will divide and separate me from his people.” And let not the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.”

Let no foreigner who has become a follower of Yahweh say, “Yahweh will certainly exclude me from his people.” The eunuch should not say, “See, I am a dry tree.”

4 For thus says the Lord to the eunuchs: They will keep my Sabbaths, and they will choose the things that I will, and they will hold to my covenant.

For this is what Yahweh says, “To the eunuchs who observe my Sabbaths and choose what pleases me, and hold fast my covenant,

5 I will give them a place in my house, within my walls, and a name better than sons and daughters. I will give them an everlasting name, which will never perish.

to them I will set up in my house and within my walls a monument that is better than having sons and of daughters. I will give them an everlasting monument that will never be cut off.

6 And the sons of the new arrival, who adhere to the Lord so as to worship him and to love his name, shall be his servants: all who keep the Sabbath without profaning it, and who hold to my covenant.

Also foreigners who join themselves to Yahweh— to serve him, and who love the name of Yahweh, to worship him, every one who observes the Sabbath and who keeps from defiling it, and who holds fast my covenant

7 I will lead them to my holy mountain, and I will gladden them in my house of prayer. Their holocausts and their victims will be pleasing to me upon my altar. For my house will be called the house of prayer for all peoples.

—I will bring to my holy mountain and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar. For my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations,

8 The Lord God, who gathers the dispersed of Israel, says: Even now, I will gather his congregation to him.

this is the declaration of the Lord Yahweh, who gathers the outcasts of Israel— I will still gather others in addition to them.”

9 All beasts of the field, all the beasts of the forest: approach and devour!

All you wild beasts of the field, come and devour, all you beasts in the forest!

10 His watchmen are all blind. They are all ignorant. They are mute dogs without the ability to bark, seeing empty things, sleeping and loving dreams.

All their watchmen are blind, they do not understand. They are all silent dogs who cannot bark. They dream, and lying down they love to sleep.

11 And these very imprudent dogs have never known satisfaction. The shepherds themselves do not know understanding. All have turned aside in their own way, each one to his own avarice, from the highest even to the least:

The dogs have big appetites; they can never get enough; they are shepherds without discernment; they have all turned to their own way, each one covetous for unjust gain.

12 “Come, let us take wine, and be filled by inebriation. And as it is today, so shall it be tomorrow and for a long time.”

“Come,” they say, “let us drink wine and liquor. Tomorrow will be like today, a day great beyond measure.”