Isaiah 5
1Let me sing for my well beloved, a song of my beloved about his vineyard. 1 My well beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. 1
2He spaded it, removed the stones, and planted it with an excellent kind of vine. 1 He built a tower in the middle of it, and also built a winepress. 1 He waited for it to produce grapes, but it only produced wild grapes. 1
3So now, inhabitant of Jerusalem and man of Judah, 1 judge between me and my vineyard. 1
4What more could have been done for my vineyard, that I have not done for it? 1 When I looked for it to produce grapes, why did it produce wild grapes? 1
5Now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will remove the hedge, 1 I will turn it into a pasture, I will break down its wall, and it will be trampled down. 1
6I will lay it waste, and it will not be pruned nor hoed. Instead, briers and thorns will spring up. 1 I will also command the clouds not to rain on it. 1
7For the vineyard of Yahweh of hosts is the house of Israel, 1 and the man of Judah his pleasant planting; 1 he waited for justice, but instead, there was killing; for righteousness, but, instead, a shout for help. 1
8Woe to those who join house to house, who join field to field, 1 until no room remains, and you alone remain in the land! 1
9Yahweh of hosts told me, 1 many houses will be empty, even great and impressive ones, without any inhabitant. 1
10For a ten-yoke vineyard will yield only one bath, and one homer of seed will yield only an ephah. 1
11Woe to those who rise up early in the morning to obtain strong drink, 1 those who linger late into the night until wine inflames them. 1
12They banquet with harp, lute, tambourine, flute, and wine, 1 but they do not recognize the work of Yahweh, nor have they considered the doings of his hands. 1
13Therefore my people have gone into captivity for lack of understanding; 1 their honored leaders go hungry, and their common people have nothing to drink. 1
14Therefore Sheol has made its appetite greater and has opened its mouth very wide; 1 their elite, the people, their leaders, and the revelers and those who are happy among them, descend into Sheol. 1
15Man will be forced to bend down, and mankind will be humbled; the eyes of the lofty will be cast down. 1
16Yahweh of hosts will be exalted in his justice, and God the Holy One will show himself holy by his righteousness. 1
17Then the sheep will feed as in their own pasture, and in the ruins, lambs will graze as foreigners. + 5:17 Some modern versions have and in the ruins of the rich, lambs will graze . 1
18Woe to those who pull along iniquity with useless cords and who pull along sin as if it were with a cart rope. 1
19Woe to those who say, “Let God hurry, let him act quickly, so we can see it happen; 1 and let the plans of the Holy One of Israel come, so that we may know them.” 1
20Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; 1 who represent darkness as light, and light as darkness; 1 who represent bitter as sweet, and sweet as bitter! 1
21Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own understanding! 1
22Woe to those who are champions at drinking wine, and masters at mixing strong drinks; 1
23who acquit the wicked for payment, and deprive the innocent of his rights! 1
24Therefore as the tongue of fire devours stubble, and as the dry grass goes down in flame, 1 so their root will rot, and their blossom will blow away like dust. 1 This will happen because they have rejected the law of Yahweh of hosts, and because they have despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. 1
25Therefore the anger of Yahweh is kindled against his people. He has reached out with his hand against them and has punished them. 1 The mountains tremble, and their corpses are like garbage in the streets. 1 In all these things, his anger does not subside; instead, his hand is still stretched out. 1
26He will lift up a signal flag for far away nations and will whistle for those at the end of the earth. 1 Look, they will come speedily and promptly. 1
27None tire or stumble among them; none slumbers or sleeps. 1 Nor are their belts loose, or the thongs of their sandals broken. 1
28Their arrows are sharp and all their bows are bent; 1 their horses' hooves are like flint, and their chariot wheels like storms. 1
29Their roaring will be like a lion; they will roar like young lions. 1 They will growl and seize the prey and drag it away, with none to rescue. 1
30On that day they will roar against the prey as the sea roars. 1 If anyone looks over the land, he will see darkness and suffering; even the light will be made dark by the clouds.