- 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.
- Hear, O heaven, and hearken, O earth: for the Lord has spoken,
saying, I have begotten and reared up children, but they have
[a] rebelled against me.
- 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.
- Ah sinful nation, a people full of sins, an evil seed, lawless
children: ye have forsaken the Lord, and provoked the Holy One of
Israel.
- Why should ye be smitten any more, transgressing more and
more? the whole head is pained, and the whole heart sad.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- [b] And if the Lord of Sabaoth had not
left us a seed, we should have been as Sodoma, and we should have been
made like to Gomorrha.
- Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodoma; attend to the law
of God, thou people of Gomorrha.
- Of what value to me is the abundance of your sacrifices?
saith 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:
- neither shall ye come with these to appear before me; for
who has required these things at your hands? Ye shall no more tread my
court.
- Though ye bring fine flour, it is vain; incense is an
abomination to me; I cannot bear your new moons, and your sabbaths,
and the great day;
- your fasting, and rest from work, your new moons also,
and your feasts my soul hates: ye have become loathsome to me; I will
no more pardon your sins.
- When ye stretch forth your hands, I will turn away mine eyes from
you: and though ye make many supplications, I will not hearken to you;
for your hands are full of blood.
- Wash you, be clean; remove your iniquities from your souls before
mine eyes; cease from your iniquities;
- learn to do well; diligently seek judgment, deliver him that is
suffering wrong, plead for the orphan, and obtain justice for the widow.
- And come, let us reason together, saith 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.
- And if ye be willing, and hearken to me, ye shall eat the good of
the land:
- but if ye be not willing, nor hearken to me, a sword shall devour
you: for the mouth of the Lord has spoken this.
- How has the faithful city Sion, once full of judgment,
become a harlot! wherein righteousness lodged, but now murderers.
- Your silver is worthless, thy wine merchants mix the wine with
water.
- Thy princes are rebellious, companions of thieves, loving bribes,
seeking after rewards; not pleading for orphans, and not heeding the
cause of widows.
- Therefore thus saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts, Woe to the
mighty men of Israel; for my wrath shall not cease against
mine adversaries, and I will execute judgment on mine enemies.
- And I will bring my hand upon thee, and purge thee [c] completely, and I will destroy the
rebellious, and will take away from thee all transgressors.
- And I will establish thy judges as before, and thy counsellors as
at the beginning: and afterward thou shalt be called the city of
righteousness, the faithful mother-city Sion.
- For her captives shall be saved with judgment, and with mercy.
- And the transgressors and the sinners shall be crushed together,
and they that forsake the Lord shall be utterly consumed.
- For they shall be ashamed of their idols, which they delighted in,
and they are made ashamed of the gardens which they coveted.
- For they shall be as a turpentine tree that has cast its leaves,
and as a garden that has no water.
- And their strength shall be as a thread of tow, and their works as
sparks, and transgressors and the sinners shall be burnt up together,
and there shall be none to quench them.
[a] Or, 'set me at nought.'
[b] Rom. 9. 29.
[c] Gr. to pureness.
[English translation of the Septuagint by Sir Lancelot Charles Lee
Brenton (1807-1862) originally published by Samuel Bagster & Sons,
Ltd., London, 1851]