4Ah, sinning nation, a people heavy [with] 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.

5Wherefore are ye stricken any more? Ye do add apostasy! Every head is become diseased, and every heart [is] sick.

6From 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.

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

8And 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.

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

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

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

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

13Add not to bring in a vain present, Incense — an abomination it [is] to Me, New moon, and sabbath, calling of convocation! Rendure not iniquity — and a restraint!

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

15And 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.

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

17Seek judgment, make happy the oppressed, Judge the fatherless, strive [for] the widow.

18Come, 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!

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

20And if ye refuse, and have rebelled, [By] the sword ye are consumed, For the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken.

21How hath a faithful city become a harlot? I have filled it [with] judgment, Righteousness lodgeth in it — now murderers.

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

23Thy princes [are] 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.

24Therefore — 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,

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

26And 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.’

27Zion in judgment is redeemed, And her captivity in righteousness.

28And the destruction of transgressors and sinners [is] together, And those forsaking Jehovah are consumed.

29For [men] are ashamed because of the oaks That ye have desired, And ye are confounded because of the gardens That ye have chosen.

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

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

maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society

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Isaiah 1

1THE VISION OF ISAIAH THE SON OF AMOZ, WHICH HE SAW CONCERNING JUDAH AND JERUSALEM; IN THE DAYS OF UZZIAH, JOTHAM, AHAZ, HEZEEIAH, KINGS OF JUDAH.

2 Hear, O ye heavens; and give ear, O earth:

For Jehovah speaketh.

I have nourished and brought up children;

And they have rebelled against me.

3The ox knoweth his owner,

And the ass his master's crib:

But Israel doth not know;

My people doth not consider.

4Wo to the sinful nation, people laden with iniquity,

Seed of evil-doers, children that are corrupters:

They have forsaken Jehovah,

They have despised the Holy One of Israel;

They are gone away backward.

5Upon what part will ye be smitten any more, should you still revolt?

The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint:

6From the sole of the foot even unto the crown of the head, there is no soundness;

But wounds, and lashes, and fresh stripes:

They have not been pressed out, neither bound up,

Nor mollified with oil.

7Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire;

Your land, strangers devour it before your eyes;

It is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.

8And the daughter of Zion is left alone, as a shed in a vineyard;

As a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a city that is saved.

9Except Jehovah of hosts had left unto us the smallest remnant,

We had been as Sodom, we had become like unto Gomorrah.

10Hear ye the word of Jehovah, O ye princes of Sodom!

Give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah!

11Why to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? saith Jehovah:

I am cloyed with the burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts;

And in the blood of bullocks, and of lambs, and of he-goats, I have no delight.

12When ye come to appear before me,

Who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts?

13Bring no more insincere oblation,

Incense! it is an abomination unto me;

The new moon, the sabbath, and the proclaiming of an assembly,

I cannot endure: it is iniquity, even the solemn assembly.

14Your new moons, and your appointed festivals, my soul hateth:

They are a burden unto me; I am weary of bearing them.

15And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you;

Even when ye multiply prayer, I will not hear:

Your hands are full of blood.

16Wash ye, make ye clean;

Remove ye far away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes;

Cease to do evil:

17Learn to do good; seek after justice; correct the evil-doer;

Do justice to the orphan; plead for the widow.

18Come now, and let us reason together, saith Jehovah:

Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow;

Though they be red as crimson, they shall be as wool.

19If ye be willing and obedient,

Ye shall eat the good of the land;

20But if ye refuse and rebel,

Ye shall be devoured with the sword:

For the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken it.

21How is the faithful city become an harlot!

She that was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in her;

But now murderers!

22Thy silver is become dross;

Thy wine mixed with water.

23Thy princes are rebellious, and associates of robbers;

Every one of them loveth a bribe, and hunteth after rewards:

For the orphan they procure no justice;

And the cause of the widow cometh not before them.

24Wherefore saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, the mighty One of Israel:

Ah! I will ease me of mine adversaries,

And avenge me of mine enemies.

25And I will direct mine hand against thee,

And entirely melt out thy dross,

And remove all thy tin:

26And I will restore thy judges, as at the first;

And thy counsellors, as at the beginning: Afterward thou shalt be called,

The town of righteousness, the faithful city.

27Zion shall be redeemed with judgment,

And those that return unto her, with righteousness.

28But the destruction of revolters and of sinners shall be together;

And they that forsake Jehovah shall perish.

29Then shall men be ashamed of the grove of teberinths, which are your delight;

And ye shall blush for the gardens, which ye have loved:

30For ye shall be as the teberinth, whose leaves are withered;

And as a garden, wherein there is no water.

31The powerful shall become as tow,

And his work as a spark of fire;

And they shall burn both of them together; and none shall quench them.

Translated by Rev John Jones (Ioan Tegid).Published at Oxford in 1830, second edition 1842.

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Isaiah 1

Isaiah 1