Isaiah 65

1 I AM inquired of by them that asked not [for me]; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name.

“I was ready to be sought out by those who did not ask; I was ready to be found by those who did not seek. I said, 'Here I am! Here I am!' to a nation that did not call on my name.

2 I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that is not good, after their own thoughts;

I have spread out my hands all day to a stubborn people, who walk in a way that is not good, who have walked after their own thoughts and plans!

3 a people that provoketh me to my face continually, sacrificing in gardens, and burning incense upon bricks;

They are a people who continually offend me, offering sacrifices in gardens, and burning incense on brick tiles.

4 which sit among the graves, and lodge in the secret places; which eat swine’s flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels;

They sit among the graves and keep watch all night, and eat pork with the broth of foul meat in their dishes.

5 which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me, for I am holier than thou: these are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.

They say, 'Stand away, do not come near to me, for I am holier than you.' These things are smoke in my nose, a fire that burns all day long.

6 Behold, it is written before me: I will not keep silence, but will recompense, yea, I will recompense into their bosom,

Look, it is written before me: I will not keep quiet, for I will pay them back; I will repay them into their laps,

7 your own iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, saith the LORD, which have burned incense upon the mountains, and blasphemed me upon the hills: therefore will I first measure their work into their bosom.

for their sins and the sins of their fathers together,” says Yahweh. “I will repay them for burning incense on the mountains and for mocking me on the hills. I will therefore measure out their past deeds into their laps.”

8 Thus saith the LORD, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not, for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants’ sakes, that I may not destroy them all.

This is what Yahweh says, “As when juice is found in a cluster of grapes, when one says, 'Do not ruin it, for there is good in it,' this is what I will do for my servants' sake: I will not ruin them all.

9 And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains: and my chosen shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there.

I will bring descendants from Jacob, and from Judah ones who will possess my mountains. My chosen ones will possess the land, and my servants will live there.

10 And Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for herds to lie down in, for my people that have sought me.

Sharon will become a pasture for the flocks, and the Valley of Achor a resting place for herds, for my people who seek me.

11 But ye that forsake the LORD, that forget my holy mountain, that prepare a table for Fortune, and that fill up mingled wine unto Destiny;

But you who abandon Yahweh, who forget my holy mountain, who prepare a table for Fortune, and fill wine glasses of mixed wine for Destiny.

12 I will destine you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter: because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but ye did that which was evil in mine eyes, and chose that wherein I delighted not.

I will appoint you for the sword, and you will all bow down to the slaughter, because when I called, you did not answer; when I spoke, you did not listen. But you did what was evil in my sight and and chose to do what displeases me.”

13 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed:

This is what the Lord Yahweh says, “Look, my servants will eat, but you will be hungry; look, my servants will drink, but you will be thirsty; look, my servants will rejoice, but you will be put to shame.

14 behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit.

Look, my servants will shout with joy because of gladness of heart, but you will cry because of the pain of the heart, and will wail because of the crushing of the spirit.

15 And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen, and the Lord GOD shall slay thee; and he shall call his servants by another name:

You will leave behind your name as a curse for my chosen ones to speak; I, the Lord Yahweh, will kill you; I will call my servants by another name.

16 so that he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine eyes.

Whoever pronounces a blessing on the earth will be blessed by me, the God of truth. Whoever takes an oath on the earth will swear by me, the God of truth, because the former troubles will be forgotten, for they will be hidden from my eyes.

17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former things shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

For see, I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things will not be remembered or be brought to mind.

18 But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.

But you will be glad and rejoice forever in what I am about to create. See, I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy, and her people as a delight.

19 And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.

I will rejoice over Jerusalem and be glad over my people; weeping and cries of distress will no longer be heard in her.

20 There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old, and the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.

Never again will an infant live there only a few days; nor will an old man die before his time. One who dies at one hundred years old will be considered a young person. Anyone who fails to reach the age of one hundred years old will be considered cursed.

21 And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.

They will build houses and inhabit them, and they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

22 They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree shall be the days of my people, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.

No longer will they build a house and another live in it; they will not plant, and another eat; for as the days of trees will be the days of my people. My chosen will fully outlive the work of their hands.

23 They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for calamity; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them.

They will not labor in vain, nor give birth to dismay. For they are the children of those blessed by Yahweh, and their descendants with them.

24 And it shall come to pass that, before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.

Before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear.

25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.

The wolf and the lamb will graze together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox; but dust will be the serpent's food. They will no longer hurt nor destroy on all my holy mountain,” says Yahweh.