1 T his is the special dream of Isaiah the son of Amoz, about Judah and Jerusalem, which he saw during the rule of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

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 L isten, O heavens, and hear, O earth, for the Lord has spoken: “I have brought up and have taken care of sons, but they have turned against Me.

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

3 A n ox knows its owner. A donkey knows where to find the food its owner gives it. But Israel does not know. My people do not understand.”

The ox knows his owner, and the donkey his master’s crib; but Israel doesn’t know, my people don’t consider.”

4 O sinful nation, people weighed down with sin, children of those who do wrong, sons who act in a sinful way! They have left the Lord. They have hated the Holy One of Israel. They have turned away from Him.

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

5 W here will you be punished again, since you still fight against the Lord? Your whole head is sick, and your whole heart is weak.

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

6 F rom the bottom of the foot even to the head, there is no good part. There are only sores from beatings and open sores. They are not taken care of or covered or made soft with oil.

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 Y our land lies waste. Your cities are burned with fire. Strangers are eating the food of your fields in front of you. It lies waste, as destroyed by strangers.

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 T he people of Zion are left like a tent in a grape-field, like a watchman’s house in a vegetable field, like a city closed in by armies.

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

9 I f the Lord of All had not left some people, we would have all been destroyed like those who lived in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Unless Yahweh of Armies had left to us a very small remnant, we would have been as Sodom; we would have been like Gomorrah.

10 H ear the Word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom. Listen to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah.

Hear Yahweh’s word, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah!

11 “ What are your many gifts given in worship to Me?” says the Lord. “I have had enough burnt gifts of rams and the fat of cattle. And I am not pleased with the blood of bulls, lambs, or goats.

“What are the multitude of your sacrifices to me?”, says Yahweh. “I have had enough of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed animals. I don’t delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of male goats.

12 W hen you come to show yourselves before Me, who says you must walk and walk around My open spaces?

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

13 D o not bring your gifts of no worth any more. Your special perfume is a hated thing to Me. The new moon and Day of Rest, this calling together of the people, I cannot put up with. I cannot put up with your sin and your meetings of worship.

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

14 I hate your new moons and your special suppers. They have become heavy upon Me. I am tired of carrying them.

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

15 S o when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you. Even if you pray many times, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood.

When you spread out 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 yourselves. Make yourselves clean. Take your sinful actions from My eyes. Stop doing sinful things.

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

17 L earn to do good. Look for what is right and fair. Speak strong words to those who make it hard for people. Stand up for the rights of those who have no parents. Help the woman whose husband has died.

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

18 “ Come now, let us think about this together,” says the Lord. “Even though your sins are bright red, they will be as white as snow. Even though they are dark red, they will be like wool.

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

19 I f you are willing and obey, you will eat the best of the land.

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

20 B ut if you are not willing and turn against Me, you will be destroyed by the sword.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. The Sinful City

but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured with the sword; for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken it.”

21 T he faithful city has become like a woman who sells the use of her body. At one time she was full of what was right and fair! Those who are right and good lived in her, but now those who kill.

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

22 Y our silver has lost its worth. Your wine is mixed with water.

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

23 Y our rulers have turned against what is right. They are the friends of robbers. Every one loves to get pay in secret for wrong-doing, and they run after gifts. They do not stand for the rights of those who have no parents. And they never hear the cry for help of the woman whose husband has died.

Your princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves. Everyone loves bribes, and follows after rewards. They don’t judge the fatherless, neither does the cause of the widow come to them.

24 S o the Lord God of All, the Powerful One of Israel, says, “I will put an end to those who fight against Me. I will punish those who hate Me.

Therefore the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, the Mighty One of Israel, says: “Ah, I will get relief from my adversaries, and avenge myself on my enemies;

25 I will turn My hand against you and burn what is of no worth in you. And I will take away from you all that is not pure.

and I will turn my hand on you, thoroughly purge away your dross, and will take away all your tin.

26 T hen I will give you judges as at the first, and your wise men as at the beginning. After that you will be called the city that is right and good, a faithful city.”

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 Z ion will be saved by being fair. Those who are sorry for their sins and turn from them will be saved by being right and good.

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

28 B ut wrong-doers and sinners will be crushed together. Those who turn away from the Lord will come to an end.

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

29 F or you will be ashamed of the oaks where you worshiped. You will be ashamed of the gardens you have chosen.

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 F or you will be like an oak tree whose leaf dries up, or like 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 T he strong man will become easy to burn, and his work also a fire. They will burn together, and there will be no one to put the fire out.

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