The song of the vineyard
Now I'll sing to my beloved a song about his vineyard. My beloved had a vineyard on a very fruitful hill. He fenced it, cleared away its stones, planted it with the choicest vine, built a tower in the middle and cut out a winepress. He expected it to produce good grapes, but it produced wild ones. So now, you who live in Jerusalem, you men of Judah — judge between me and my vineyard. What more could have been done for my vineyard that I haven't done? Why, when I looked for good grapes, did it produce wild ones? Now I'll tell you what I'll do to my vineyard. I'll take away its hedge and it will be eaten up; I'll break down its wall and it will be trampled down. I'll lay it waste. It won't be pruned or dug, and briers and thorns will grow up in it. I'll also command the clouds not to rain on it. The vineyard of the LORD Almighty is the people of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant plant. He looked for justice, but found oppression; for righteousness, but heard a cry.
Let me sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard. My beloved had a vineyard on a good fertile hill. He dug it over and cleared out the stones and planted it with the best vines. He built a watchtower in the middle of it and cut out a winepress as well. Then he looked for it to give good grapes, and it gave him sour ones. So now, you who live in Jerusalem, you men of Judah — judge between me and my vineyard. What more could have been done for my vineyard that I didn't do in it? When I looked for it to give good grapes, why did it give me sour ones? Right then, let me tell you what I'm going to do to my vineyard. I'll take away its hedge and it'll be eaten bare. I'll break down its wall and it'll be trampled flat. I'll leave it a wreck — not pruned, not hoed — and briars and thorns will come up in it. And I'll order the clouds not to rain on it. Because the vineyard of the Lord Almighty is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are the planting he delighted in. He looked for justice, and saw bloodshed. He looked for righteousness, and heard a cry.
Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.
Now I'll sing to my beloved a song about his vineyard. My beloved had a vineyard on a very fruitful hill.
Let me sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard. My beloved had a vineyard on a good fertile hill.
Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:
He fenced it, cleared away its stones, planted it with the choicest vine, built a tower in the middle and cut out a winepress. He expected it to produce good grapes, but it produced wild ones.
He dug it over and cleared out the stones and planted it with the best vines. He built a watchtower in the middle of it and cut out a winepress as well. Then he looked for it to give good grapes, and it gave him sour ones.
And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.
So now, you who live in Jerusalem, you men of Judah — judge between me and my vineyard.
And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.
What more could have been done for my vineyard that I haven't done? Why, when I looked for good grapes, did it produce wild ones?
What more could have been done for my vineyard that I didn't do in it? When I looked for it to give good grapes, why did it give me sour ones?
What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?
Now I'll tell you what I'll do to my vineyard. I'll take away its hedge and it will be eaten up; I'll break down its wall and it will be trampled down.
Right then, let me tell you what I'm going to do to my vineyard. I'll take away its hedge and it'll be eaten bare. I'll break down its wall and it'll be trampled flat.
And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:
I'll lay it waste. It won't be pruned or dug, and briers and thorns will grow up in it. I'll also command the clouds not to rain on it.
I'll leave it a wreck — not pruned, not hoed — and briars and thorns will come up in it. And I'll order the clouds not to rain on it.
And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.
The vineyard of the LORD Almighty is the people of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant plant. He looked for justice, but found oppression; for righteousness, but heard a cry.
Because the vineyard of the Lord Almighty is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are the planting he delighted in. He looked for justice, and saw bloodshed. He looked for righteousness, and heard a cry.
For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.
The woes
Trouble is coming to those who join house to house and add field to field until there's no room left, so they can live alone in the middle of the land. The LORD Almighty said in my hearing: ‘Truly, many houses will be left desolate — even great and beautiful houses, with no one living in them.’ Ten acres of vineyard will give one bath of wine, and a homer of seed will give an ephah. Trouble is coming to those who rise early to chase strong drink, and stay up late until wine inflames them. There's the harp and the lyre, the tambourine and the pipe and the wine at their parties — but they don't give a thought to what the LORD is doing, and they don't look at the work of his hands. So my people are going into exile for want of knowing anything. Their honoured men are starving and their crowds are parched with thirst. So hell has enlarged herself and opened her mouth without measure. Their glory, their crowds, their pomp and those who rejoice among them will descend into it. The ordinary man is brought low and the great man is humbled, and the eyes of the proud are brought down. But the LORD Almighty is exalted by his justice, and the holy God shows himself holy by his righteousness. Then lambs will graze there as if it were their own pasture, and strangers will feed among the ruins of the rich. Trouble is coming to those who drag their guilt along on cords of lies, and their sin as with a cart rope, who say, ‘Let him make speed and hurry his work so we may see it. Let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near and come, so we may know it!’ Trouble is coming to those who call evil good and good evil; who put darkness for light and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Trouble is coming to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight. Trouble is coming to those who are mighty at drinking wine, and strong men at mixing strong drink, who justify the wicked for a reward and take away the righteousness of the righteous from them.
Trouble is coming to those who join house to house and field to field until there's no room left, and you're living alone in the middle of the land. The Lord Almighty said in my hearing: You wait — plenty of houses will finish up empty, big fine houses with nobody in them. Ten acres of vineyard will give one bath of wine, and a homer of seed will give an ephah. Trouble is coming to those who get up early to chase a drink and sit up late till the wine's got them going. There's the harp and the lyre, the tambourine and the pipe and the wine at their parties — but they don't give a thought to what the Lord is doing, and they don't look at the work of his hands. So my people are going into exile for want of knowing anything. Their honoured men are starving and their crowds are parched with thirst. So the grave has opened its throat wide and gaped its mouth without measure, and down goes their splendour and their noise and their racket and whoever was celebrating in the middle of it. The ordinary man is brought low and the great man is humbled, and the eyes of the proud are brought down. But the Lord Almighty is lifted high by his justice, and the holy God shows himself holy by his righteousness. Then lambs will graze there as if it were their own pasture, and strangers will feed among the ruins of the rich. Trouble is coming to those who drag their guilt along on cords of lies, and their sin as with a cart rope, who say: Let him hurry up. Let him get on with his work so we can see it. Let the plan of the Holy One of Israel come close and arrive, so we know what it is. Trouble is coming to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Trouble is coming to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own opinion. Trouble is coming to the heroes at drinking wine and the champions at mixing a drink, who let the guilty off for a bribe and take away the case of the one in the right.
Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth! In mine ears said the LORD of hosts, Of a truth many houses shall be desolate, even great and fair, without inhabitant. Yea, ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and the seed of an homer shall yield an ephah. Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them! And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the LORD, neither consider the operation of his hands. Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst. Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it. And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled: But the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness. Then shall the lambs feed after their manner, and the waste places of the fat ones shall strangers eat. Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope: That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it! Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!
Trouble is coming to those who join house to house and add field to field until there's no room left, so they can live alone in the middle of the land.
Trouble is coming to those who join house to house and field to field until there's no room left, and you're living alone in the middle of the land.
Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth!
The LORD Almighty said in my hearing: ‘Truly, many houses will be left desolate — even great and beautiful houses, with no one living in them.’
The Lord Almighty said in my hearing: You wait — plenty of houses will finish up empty, big fine houses with nobody in them.
In mine ears said the LORD of hosts, Of a truth many houses shall be desolate, even great and fair, without inhabitant.
Ten acres of vineyard will give one bath of wine, and a homer of seed will give an ephah.
Yea, ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and the seed of an homer shall yield an ephah.
Trouble is coming to those who rise early to chase strong drink, and stay up late until wine inflames them.
Trouble is coming to those who get up early to chase a drink and sit up late till the wine's got them going.
Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!
There's the harp and the lyre, the tambourine and the pipe and the wine at their parties — but they don't give a thought to what the LORD is doing, and they don't look at the work of his hands.
There's the harp and the lyre, the tambourine and the pipe and the wine at their parties — but they don't give a thought to what the Lord is doing, and they don't look at the work of his hands.
And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the LORD, neither consider the operation of his hands.
So my people are going into exile for want of knowing anything. Their honoured men are starving and their crowds are parched with thirst.
Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst.
So hell has enlarged herself and opened her mouth without measure. Their glory, their crowds, their pomp and those who rejoice among them will descend into it.
So the grave has opened its throat wide and gaped its mouth without measure, and down goes their splendour and their noise and their racket and whoever was celebrating in the middle of it.
Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.
The ordinary man is brought low and the great man is humbled, and the eyes of the proud are brought down.
And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled:
But the LORD Almighty is exalted by his justice, and the holy God shows himself holy by his righteousness.
But the Lord Almighty is lifted high by his justice, and the holy God shows himself holy by his righteousness.
But the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness.
Then lambs will graze there as if it were their own pasture, and strangers will feed among the ruins of the rich.
Then shall the lambs feed after their manner, and the waste places of the fat ones shall strangers eat.
Trouble is coming to those who drag their guilt along on cords of lies, and their sin as with a cart rope,
Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope:
who say, ‘Let him make speed and hurry his work so we may see it. Let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near and come, so we may know it!’
who say: Let him hurry up. Let him get on with his work so we can see it. Let the plan of the Holy One of Israel come close and arrive, so we know what it is.
That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it!
Trouble is coming to those who call evil good and good evil; who put darkness for light and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.
Trouble is coming to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.
Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Trouble is coming to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.
Trouble is coming to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own opinion.
Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
Trouble is coming to those who are mighty at drinking wine, and strong men at mixing strong drink,
Trouble is coming to the heroes at drinking wine and the champions at mixing a drink,
Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:
who justify the wicked for a reward and take away the righteousness of the righteous from them.
who let the guilty off for a bribe and take away the case of the one in the right.
Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!
The nation from far off
So the way fire licks up stubble and dry grass sinks down in the flame, their root will go rotten and their blossom will blow away like dust — because they've rejected the teaching of the LORD Almighty and sneered at the word of the Holy One of Israel. So the LORD's anger is kindled against his people. He has stretched out his hand against them and struck them; the hills trembled, and their carcasses were torn in the middle of the streets. For all this his anger isn't turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. He'll raise a signal to a faraway nation and whistle for them from the ends of the earth. They'll come quickly, without wasting time. None of them will be weary or stumble. None will slumber or sleep. No belt at the waist will come loose, and no sandal strap will break. Their arrows are sharp and all their bows are strung. Their horses' hooves are like flint and their wheels like a whirlwind. Their roar is like a lion's. They roar like young lions, growling as they seize the prey and carry it off, and nobody can get it back. On that day they'll roar over it like the roaring of the sea. And if you look at the land — darkness and distress, and even the light going dark behind the clouds.
So, the way fire licks up stubble and dry grass sinks down in the flame, their root will go rotten and their blossom will blow away like dust — because they've rejected the teaching of the Lord Almighty and sneered at the word of the Holy One of Israel. That's why the Lord's anger burns against his people, and he's stretched out his hand against them and struck them. The hills shook, and their bodies were like rubbish in the middle of the streets. And after all this his anger hasn't turned away; his hand is still stretched out. He'll raise a signal to a nation far off and whistle for them from the ends of the earth, and here they come, quick and light-footed. Not one of them is tired, not one of them stumbles. Nobody dozes, nobody sleeps. No belt comes loose at the waist, no sandal strap snaps. Their arrows are sharp and all their bows are strung. Their horses' hooves are like flint and their wheels like a whirlwind. Their roar is like a lion's. They roar like young lions, growling as they seize the prey and carry it off, and nobody can get it back. On that day they'll roar over it like the roaring of the sea. And if you look at the land — darkness and distress, and even the light going dark behind the clouds.
Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth: and, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly: None shall be weary nor stumble among them; none shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken: Whose arrows are sharp, and all their bows bent, their horses’ hoofs shall be counted like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind: Their roaring shall be like a lion, they shall roar like young lions: yea, they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry it away safe, and none shall deliver it. And in that day they shall roar against them like the roaring of the sea: and if one look unto the land, behold darkness and sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof.
So the way fire licks up stubble and dry grass sinks down in the flame, their root will go rotten and their blossom will blow away like dust — because they've rejected the teaching of the LORD Almighty and sneered at the word of the Holy One of Israel.
So, the way fire licks up stubble and dry grass sinks down in the flame, their root will go rotten and their blossom will blow away like dust — because they've rejected the teaching of the Lord Almighty and sneered at the word of the Holy One of Israel.
Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
So the LORD's anger is kindled against his people. He has stretched out his hand against them and struck them; the hills trembled, and their carcasses were torn in the middle of the streets. For all this his anger isn't turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
That's why the Lord's anger burns against his people, and he's stretched out his hand against them and struck them. The hills shook, and their bodies were like rubbish in the middle of the streets. And after all this his anger hasn't turned away; his hand is still stretched out.
Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
He'll raise a signal to a faraway nation and whistle for them from the ends of the earth. They'll come quickly, without wasting time.
He'll raise a signal to a nation far off and whistle for them from the ends of the earth, and here they come, quick and light-footed.
And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth: and, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly:
None of them will be weary or stumble. None will slumber or sleep. No belt at the waist will come loose, and no sandal strap will break.
Not one of them is tired, not one of them stumbles. Nobody dozes, nobody sleeps. No belt comes loose at the waist, no sandal strap snaps.
None shall be weary nor stumble among them; none shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken:
Their arrows are sharp and all their bows are strung. Their horses' hooves are like flint and their wheels like a whirlwind.
Whose arrows are sharp, and all their bows bent, their horses’ hoofs shall be counted like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind:
Their roar is like a lion's. They roar like young lions, growling as they seize the prey and carry it off, and nobody can get it back.
Their roaring shall be like a lion, they shall roar like young lions: yea, they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry it away safe, and none shall deliver it.
On that day they'll roar over it like the roaring of the sea. And if you look at the land — darkness and distress, and even the light going dark behind the clouds.
And in that day they shall roar against them like the roaring of the sea: and if one look unto the land, behold darkness and sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof.