Isaiah 5
The Song of the Vineyard
I'll sing now a song for the one that I love,
a song of the vineyard he's sown:
My love has a vineyard that sits high above
a rich, fertile hill, is it grown.
He plowed, and cleared stones, used the choicest of vines;
a tower was built in the field.
He hewed a great wine press from stone for his wines,
expecting an excellent yield.
But, sour, worthless grapes were revealed.
You men of Jerusalem, and Judah, too,
now judge between me and my vineyard that grew.
What more could I do than I possibly could?
My vines received all that I had.
When I thought the produce would taste rather good,
they turned out incredibly bad.
I tell you, the vineyard I loved will be thrashed:
it's hedge of protection torn down,
and they'll be consumed and the walls will be smashed,
and all will become trampled ground.
I'll turn the place into a wasteland that's bare,
where nothing is pruned nor is plowed;
but thorns and the briars, alone, will grow there,
and I'll send no rain from the cloud.
For Israel is the LORD's vineyard he tilled,
and Judah, his vines, and his prize.
He waited for justice, but he saw blood spilled;
for righteousness, but he heard cries.
I'll sing now a song for the one that I love,
a song of the vineyard he's sown:
My love has a vineyard that sits high above
a rich, fertile hill, is it grown.
He plowed, and cleared stones, used the choicest of vines;
a tower was built in the field.
He hewed a great wine press from stone for his wines,
expecting an excellent yield.
But, sour, worthless grapes were revealed.
You men of Jerusalem, and Judah, too,
now judge between me and my vineyard that grew.
What more could I do than I possibly could?
My vines received all that I had.
When I thought the produce would taste rather good,
they turned out incredibly bad.
I tell you, the vineyard I loved will be thrashed:
it's hedge of protection torn down,
and they'll be consumed and the walls will be smashed,
and all will become trampled ground.
I'll turn the place into a wasteland that's bare,
where nothing is pruned nor is plowed;
but thorns and the briars, alone, will grow there,
and I'll send no rain from the cloud.
For Israel is the LORD's vineyard he tilled,
and Judah, his vines, and his prize.
He waited for justice, but he saw blood spilled;
for righteousness, but he heard cries.
Woes to the Wicked
Now, woe to those purchasing homes forced to sell
and field after field with more planned
till nothing remains there, and they're left to dwell
alone in the midst of the land.
I heard LORD Jehovah Almighty declare
a promise he vowed to abide:
So many fine homes will be empty and bare,
great mansions with no one inside.
Ten acres of vineyard will barely produce:
few gallons of wine you'll obtain;
the yield on ten bushels of seed will reduce
to maybe a bushel of grain.
And, woe to those rising at morning's first light
where finding strong drink is a must;
and those who would stay up till late in the night
in drunkenness, passion, and lust.
The harp and the strings, tambourine, flute, and wine:
combined, make a sumptuous feast!
They have no regard for the LORD's grand design,
nor all he has done, in the least.
My people, therefore, will be captured as slaves;
because they don't know me, coerced.
From famine, the nobles will die without graves,
the masses will perish from thirst.
Because of this, Sheol will open its jaws
and widen the mouth of its pit;
the nobles of Zion, with pomp and applause,
and crowds will descend into it.
Mankind will be humbled, brought low, and be bowed;
brought low are the eyes of the haughty and proud.
But Yahweh of hosts will be raised up, alone,
exalted through justice, no less;
the God who is holy, himself, will be shown
as holy in his righteousness.
The lambs will then graze in the pastures and roam
according to their own command;
and strangers will feed in the despoiled homes
of rich men when they ruled the land.
And, woe to those dragging behind them their sin
with webs of deceit that a spider might spin;
to those dragging foul wickedness in their heart
with thick rope that oxen use pulling a cart;
to those who mock God and say, Hurry and do
the things that you do, now, let's go!
Let Israel's holy God see his plan through,
so we will, ourselves, finally know.
And, woe to who calls evil good and repeats
that goodness is evil, trades darkness for light,
thinks light is the dark and that bitter is sweet,
says sweetness is bitter and knows they are right.
And, woe to those thinking they're clever and wise,
and judge themselves prudent within their own eyes.
And, woe to the heroes consuming much wine,
the champion mixers who drink themselves blind.
They're bribed, so the wicked and guilty go free,
depriving the innocent their liberty.
As tongues of the fire licks the stubble and hay,
as flames shrink dry grasses with ease,
so, too, will the roots start to rot and decay,
their buds fly, like dust, in the breeze;
for they have rejected the LORD's word, as well
as slighted the Holy One of Israel.
The LORD's anger, therefore, is burning against
his own, and his hand strikes them down.
The mountains are quaking, for he is incensed;
their corpses have littered the ground.
Despite this, his anger has not had its fill,
but his hand is outstretched to punish them still.
He lifts up a banner for nations afar,
and whistles to those at the ends of the earth;
behold, they come swiftly wherever they are,
indeed, they come quickly for all they are worth.
And no one among them will stumble or fall,
they're ready, and they're wide awake;
the belts round their waists are not loosened at all,
fresh straps on their sandals won't break.
Their arrows are sharp, and they've readied their bows,
sparks fly from the hooves of their horses and glows,
their chariot wheels, like a whirlwind blows.
They roar like a lion, as great beasts show might;
they snatch up their prey with a growl and take flight,
with none in pursuit and no rescue in sight.
They'll roar, in that day, like the roar of the sea,
the land, when they look, is in shrouds
with sorrow, in darkness and dread, will it be;
the light of day covered by clouds.
Now, woe to those purchasing homes forced to sell
and field after field with more planned
till nothing remains there, and they're left to dwell
alone in the midst of the land.
I heard LORD Jehovah Almighty declare
a promise he vowed to abide:
So many fine homes will be empty and bare,
great mansions with no one inside.
Ten acres of vineyard will barely produce:
few gallons of wine you'll obtain;
the yield on ten bushels of seed will reduce
to maybe a bushel of grain.
And, woe to those rising at morning's first light
where finding strong drink is a must;
and those who would stay up till late in the night
in drunkenness, passion, and lust.
The harp and the strings, tambourine, flute, and wine:
combined, make a sumptuous feast!
They have no regard for the LORD's grand design,
nor all he has done, in the least.
My people, therefore, will be captured as slaves;
because they don't know me, coerced.
From famine, the nobles will die without graves,
the masses will perish from thirst.
Because of this, Sheol will open its jaws
and widen the mouth of its pit;
the nobles of Zion, with pomp and applause,
and crowds will descend into it.
Mankind will be humbled, brought low, and be bowed;
brought low are the eyes of the haughty and proud.
But Yahweh of hosts will be raised up, alone,
exalted through justice, no less;
the God who is holy, himself, will be shown
as holy in his righteousness.
The lambs will then graze in the pastures and roam
according to their own command;
and strangers will feed in the despoiled homes
of rich men when they ruled the land.
And, woe to those dragging behind them their sin
with webs of deceit that a spider might spin;
to those dragging foul wickedness in their heart
with thick rope that oxen use pulling a cart;
to those who mock God and say, Hurry and do
the things that you do, now, let's go!
Let Israel's holy God see his plan through,
so we will, ourselves, finally know.
And, woe to who calls evil good and repeats
that goodness is evil, trades darkness for light,
thinks light is the dark and that bitter is sweet,
says sweetness is bitter and knows they are right.
And, woe to those thinking they're clever and wise,
and judge themselves prudent within their own eyes.
And, woe to the heroes consuming much wine,
the champion mixers who drink themselves blind.
They're bribed, so the wicked and guilty go free,
depriving the innocent their liberty.
As tongues of the fire licks the stubble and hay,
as flames shrink dry grasses with ease,
so, too, will the roots start to rot and decay,
their buds fly, like dust, in the breeze;
for they have rejected the LORD's word, as well
as slighted the Holy One of Israel.
The LORD's anger, therefore, is burning against
his own, and his hand strikes them down.
The mountains are quaking, for he is incensed;
their corpses have littered the ground.
Despite this, his anger has not had its fill,
but his hand is outstretched to punish them still.
He lifts up a banner for nations afar,
and whistles to those at the ends of the earth;
behold, they come swiftly wherever they are,
indeed, they come quickly for all they are worth.
And no one among them will stumble or fall,
they're ready, and they're wide awake;
the belts round their waists are not loosened at all,
fresh straps on their sandals won't break.
Their arrows are sharp, and they've readied their bows,
sparks fly from the hooves of their horses and glows,
their chariot wheels, like a whirlwind blows.
They roar like a lion, as great beasts show might;
they snatch up their prey with a growl and take flight,
with none in pursuit and no rescue in sight.
They'll roar, in that day, like the roar of the sea,
the land, when they look, is in shrouds
with sorrow, in darkness and dread, will it be;
the light of day covered by clouds.
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