Isaiah 1

The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

Isaiah, son of Amoz's vision about Judah and Jerusalem during the time of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, who were Judah's kings.

Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.

Listen, heaven and earth, as the LORD speaks. I raised and cared for my children, but they have rebelled against me.

The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.

The ox and donkey both recognize their owners and where they sleep, but Israel doesn't understand, and my people don't think about it.

Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.

Dear sinful people, heavy with wrongdoing and full of bad actions, you are children who cause trouble. You've left the Lord, made the Holy One of Israel angry, and gone back to the old ways.

Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.

Why keep getting punished? You'll rebel even more; everyone's hurt, and everyone's hearts weak.

From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.

This verse means that from the bottom of the foot to the top of the head, there is no healthiness. Instead, there are injuries, bruises, and rotting sores. These wounds haven't been healed or bandaged, nor have they been eased with ointment.

Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.

Your nation is empty, your towns are destroyed by fire: your land, others take it while you watch, and it's empty, like after invaders take over.

And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.

The daughter of Zion is now like a small house in a grape farm, a little shelter in a veggie garden with cucumbers, and a city under attack.

Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.

If the Lord of all powers didn't leave us a tiny remaining group, we would be like Sodom, and similar to Gomorrah.

Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.

Listen to God's message, leaders of Sodom; pay attention to His rules, people of Gomorrah.

To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.

Why do you offer so many sacrifices to me? asks the Lord: I am already full of burnt offerings of rams and fat from well-fed animals. I don't enjoy the blood of bulls, lambs, or goats.

When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts?

When you come to see me, why is it needed for you to walk in my temple area?

Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.

Stop offering worthless gifts; I don't like incense; I also dislike special days and meetings, they are wrong, including solemn gatherings.

Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.

I dislike your special days and events; they cause me stress and I'm tired of dealing with them.

And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.

When you stretch out your hands, I won't look at you. Even if you pray a lot, I won't listen. Your hands are covered in blood.

Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;

Cleanse yourself; remove your wrongdoing; stop doing bad things; don't hide it from me.

Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

Do good deeds; look for fairness, help those in trouble, protect orphans, stand up for widows.

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

The Lord invites us to think with Him: no matter how red your mistakes are, He will make them as white as snow; no matter how deep the stain, He will wash it away completely.

If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:

If you are ready and listen, you can enjoy the good things from the land.

But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

But if you say no and fight back, you will be destroyed by the sword; because God's words say so.

How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.

How did the loyal city turn into a sinful one? It used to have fairness and justice, but now there are killers present.

Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water:

Your silver has turned into worthless trash, and your wine is diluted with water.

Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.

Your leaders act badly, hanging out with thieves. They all love gifts and seek rewards. They don't care about orphans or help widows.

Therefore saith the LORD, the LORD of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies:

So says the Lord, the ruler of the heavenly army, the powerful God of Israel: "Ah, I will deal with my opponents and punish those who are against me."

And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin:

And I will remove impurities from you, completely cleaning what's unwanted, and take away all your impurities.

And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city.

I will bring back your leaders like before, and your advisors too. Later, you will be known as the city of fairness and trustworthiness.

Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness.

Zion will be saved through fairness, and those who join her will be through goodness.

And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed.

The wicked and sinful will be destroyed together, and those who leave the LORD will be destroyed too.

For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen.

They will feel embarrassed about the big trees you wanted and confused about the nice gardens you picked.

For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water.

You will be like an oak with wilting leaves and a dry garden without water.

And the strong shall be as tow, and the maker of it as a spark, and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.

The powerful will be like cotton wool, and the one who makes it will be like a tiny flame. They will both burn together and nothing can put out their flames.