1 T he Visions of Isaiah son of Amoz, that he hath seen concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

This 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.

2 H ear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, For Jehovah hath spoken: Sons I have nourished and brought up, And they -- they transgressed against Me.

Listen, 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.

3 A n ox hath known its owner, And an ass the crib of its master, Israel hath not known, My people hath not understood.

An 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.”

4 A h, sinning nation, a people heavy iniquity, A seed of evil doers, sons -- corrupters! They have forsaken Jehovah, They have despised the Holy One of Israel, They have gone away backward.

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.

5 W herefore are ye stricken any more? Ye do add apostacy! Every head is become diseased, and every heart sick.

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

6 F rom the sole of the foot -- unto the head, There is no soundness in it, Wound, and bruise, and fresh smiting! They have not been closed nor bound, Nor have they softened with ointment.

From 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.

7 Y our land a desolation, your cities burnt with fire, Your ground, before you strangers are consuming it, And a desolation as overthrown by strangers!

Your 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.

8 A nd left hath been the daughter of Zion, As a booth in a vineyard, As a lodge in a place of cucumbers -- as a city besieged.

The 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.

9 U nless Jehovah of Hosts had left to us a remnant, Shortly -- as Sodom we had been, To Gomorrah we had been like!

If 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.

10 H ear the word of Jehovah, ye rulers of Sodom, Give ear to the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah,

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

11 ` Why to Me the abundance of your sacrifices? saith Jehovah, I have been satiated burnt-offerings of rams, And fat of fatlings; And blood of bullocks, and lambs, And he-goats I have not desired.

“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.

12 W hen ye come in to appear before Me, Who hath required this of your hand, To trample My courts?

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

13 A dd not to bring in a vain present, Incense -- an abomination it to Me, New moon, and sabbath, calling of convocation! Rendure not iniquity -- and a restraint!

Do 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.

14 Y our new moons and your set seasons hath My soul hated, They have been upon me for a burden, I have been weary of bearing.

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

15 A nd in your spreading forth your hands, I hide mine eyes from you, Also when ye increase prayer, I do not hear, Your hands of blood have been full.

So 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.

16 W ash ye, make ye pure, Turn aside the evil of your doings, from before Mine eyes, Cease to do evil, learn to do good.

“Wash yourselves. Make yourselves clean. Take your sinful actions from My eyes. Stop doing sinful things.

17 S eek judgment, make happy the oppressed, Judge the fatherless, strive the widow.

Learn 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.

18 C ome, I pray you, and we reason, saith Jehovah, If your sins are as scarlet, as snow they shall be white, If they are red as crimson, as wool they shall be!

“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.

19 I f ye are willing, and have hearkened, The good of the land ye consume,

If you are willing and obey, you will eat the best of the land.

20 A nd if ye refuse, and have rebelled, the sword ye are consumed, For the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken.

But 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

21 H ow hath a faithful city become a harlot? I have filled it judgment, Righteousness lodgeth in it -- now murderers.

The 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.

22 T hy silver hath become dross, Thy drink polluted with water.

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

23 T hy princes apostates, and companions of thieves, Every one loving a bribe, and pursuing rewards, The fatherless they judge not, And the plea of the widow cometh not to them.

Your 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.

24 T herefore -- the affirmation of the Lord -- Jehovah of Hosts, the Mighty One of Israel: Ah, I am eased of Mine adversaries, And I am avenged of Mine enemies,

So 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.

25 A nd I turn back My hand upon thee, And I refine as purity thy dross, And I turn aside all thy tin,

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.

26 A nd I give back thy judges as at the first, And thy counsellors as in the beginning, After this thou art called, `A city of righteousness -- a faithful city.'

Then 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.”

27 Z ion in judgment is redeemed, And her captivity in righteousness.

Zion 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.

28 A nd the destruction of transgressors and sinners together, And those forsaking Jehovah are consumed.

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

29 F or are ashamed because of the oaks That ye have desired, And ye are confounded because of the gardens That ye have chosen.

For you will be ashamed of the oaks where you worshiped. You will be ashamed of the gardens you have chosen.

30 F or ye are as an oak whose leaf is fading, And as a garden that hath no water.

For you will be like an oak tree whose leaf dries up, or like a garden that has no water.

31 A nd the strong hath been for tow, And his work for a spark, And burned have both of them together, And there is none quenching!

The 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.