Isaiah 56

1 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.

The Lord says, Let your way of life be upright, and let your behaviour be rightly ordered: for my salvation is near, and my righteousness will quickly be seen.

2 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.”

Happy is the man who does this, and the son of man whose behaviour is so ordered; who keeps the Sabbath holy, and his hand from doing any evil.

3 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.”

And let not the man from a strange country, who has been joined to the Lord, say, The Lord will certainly put a division between me and his people: and let not the unsexed man say, See, I am a dry tree.

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

For the Lord says, As for the unsexed who keep my Sabbaths, and give their hearts to pleasing me, and keep their agreement with me:

5 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.

I will give to them in my house, and inside my walls, a place and a name better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an eternal name which will not be cut off.

6 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

And as for those from a strange country, who are joined to the Lord, to give worship to him and honour to his name, to be his servants, even everyone who keeps the Sabbath holy, and keeps his agreement with me:

7 —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,

I will make them come to my holy mountain, and will give them joy in my house of prayer; I will take pleasure in the burned offerings which they make on my altar: for my house will be named a house of prayer for all peoples.

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

The Lord God, who gets together the wandering ones of Israel, says, I will get together others in addition to those of Israel who have come back.

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

All you beasts of the field, come together for your meat, even all you beasts of the wood.

10 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.

His watchmen are blind, they are all without knowledge; they are all dogs without tongues, unable to make a sound; stretched out dreaming, loving sleep.

11 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.

Yes, the dogs are for ever looking for food; while these, the keepers of the sheep, are without wisdom: they have all gone after their pleasure, every one looking for profit; they are all the same.

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

Come, they say, I will get wine, and we will take strong drink in full measure; and tomorrow will be like today, full of pleasure.