ESIAS
1
1 The vision which Esaias the son of Amos saw, which he saw against Juda, and against Jerusalem, in the reign of Ozias, and Joatham, and Achaz, and Ezekias, who reigned over Judea.
2 Hear, O heaven, and listen, O earth: for the Lord has spoken, saying, I have begotten and reared up children, but they have rebelled against me.
3 The ox knows his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel does not know me, and the people has not regarded me.
4 Ah sinful nation, a people full of sins, an evil seed, lawless children: you° have forsaken the Lord, and provoked the Holy One of Israel.
5 Why should you° be struck any more, transgressing more and more? the whole head is pained, and the whole heart sad.
6 From the feet to the head, there is no soundness in them; neither wound, nor bruise, nor festering ulcer are healed: it is not possible to apply a plaister, nor oil, nor bandages.
7 Your land is desolate, your cities burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is made desolate, overthrown by strange nations.
8 The daughter of Sion shall be deserted as a tent in a vineyard, and as a storehouse of fruits in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.
9 And if the Lord of Sabaoth had not left us a seed, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been made like Gomorrha.
10 Hear the word of the Lord, you° rulers of Sodoma; attend to the law of God, you people of Gomorrha.
11 Of what value to me is the abundance of your sacrifices? says the Lord: I am full of whole burnt offerings of rams; and I delight not in the fat of lambs, and the blood of bulls and goats:
12 neither shall you° come with these to appear before me; for who has required these things at your hands? You° shall no more tread my court.
13 Though you° bring fine flour, it is vain; incense is an abomination to me; I can’t bear your new moons, and your sabbaths, and the great day;
14 your fasting, and rest from work, your new moons also, and your feasts my soul hates: you° have become loathsome to me; I will no more pardon your sins.
15 When you° stretch forth your hands, I will turn away my eyes from you: and though you° make many supplications, I will not listen to you; for your hands are full of blood.
16 Wash you, be clean; remove your iniquities from your souls before my eyes; cease from your iniquities;
17 learn to do well; diligently seek judgment, deliver him that is suffering wrong, plead for the orphan, and obtain justice for the widow.
18 And come, let us reason together, says the Lord: and though your sins be as purple, I will make them white as snow; and though they be as scarlet, I will make them white as wool.
19 And if you° be willing, and listen to me, you° shall eat the good of the land:
20 but if you° be not willing, nor listen to me, a sword shall devour you: for the mouth of the Lord has spoken this.
21 How has the faithful city Sion, once full of judgment, become a harlot! wherein righteousness lodged, but now murderers.
22 Your silver is worthless, your wine merchants mix the wine with water.
23 Your princes are rebellious, companions of thieves, loving bribes, seeking after rewards; not pleading for orphans, and not heeding the cause of widows.
24 Therefore thus says the Lord, the Lord of hosts, Woe to the mighty men of Israel; for my wrath shall not cease against my adversaries, and I will execute judgment on my enemies.
25 And I will bring my hand upon you, and purge you completely, and I will destroy the rebellious, and will take away from you all transgressors.
26 And I will establish your judges as before, and your counselors as at the beginning: and afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful mother-city of Sion.
27 For her captives shall be saved with judgment, and with mercy.
28 And the transgressors and the sinners shall be crushed together, and they that forsake the Lord shall be utterly consumed.
29 For they shall be ashamed of their idols, which they delighted in, and they are made ashamed of the gardens which they coveted.
30 For they shall be as a turpentine tree that has cast its leaves, and as a garden that has no water.
31 And their strength shall be as a thread of tow, and their works as sparks, and the transgressors and the sinners shall be burnt up together, and there shall be none to quench them.