For the vineyardof the LORDof hostsis the houseof IsraelAnd the menof JudahHis delightfulplant.Thus He lookedfor justice,but behold,bloodshed;For righteousness,but behold,a cryof distress.
He said,"Whathave you done?The voiceof your brother'sbloodis cryingto Me from the ground.
"I will also appointa placefor My peopleIsraeland will plantthem, that they may livein their own placeand not be disturbedagain,norwill the wickedafflictthem anymoreas formerly,
So that they caused the cryof the poorto cometo Him, And that He might hearthe cryof the afflicted--
The LORDfavorsthose who fearHim, Those who waitfor His lovingkindness.
For the LORDtakespleasurein His people;He will beautifythe afflictedoneswith salvation.
Even the shootwhichYour righthandhas planted,And on the sonwhom You have strengthenedfor Yourself.
The LORDsaid,"I have surelyseenthe afflictionof My peoplewhoare in Egypt,and have givenheedto their crybecauseof their taskmasters,for I am awareof their sufferings.
He who shutshis earto the cryof the poorWill alsocryhimselfand not be answered.
Then I lookedagainat allthe actsof oppressionwhichwere being doneunderthe sun.And behold[I saw] the tearsof the oppressedand [that] they hadnooneto comfort[them]; and on the sideof their oppressorswas power,but they hadnooneto comfort[them].
"Howbeautifuland howdelightfulyou are, [My] love,with [all] your charms!
Howthe faithfulcityhas becomea harlot,She [who] was fullof justice!Righteousnessonce lodgedin her, But nowmurderers.
From the soleof the footeven to the headThereis nothingsoundin it, [Only] bruises,weltsand rawwounds,Not pressedout or bandaged,Norsoftenedwith oil.
In that day,"A vineyardof wine,singof it!
The LORDentersinto judgmentwith the eldersand princesof His people,"It is you who have devouredthe vineyard;The plunderof the pooris in your houses.
"Whatdo you mean by crushingMy peopleAnd grindingthe faceof the poor?"Declaresthe LordGODof hosts.
Therefore the Lordwill afflictthe scalpof the daughtersof Zionwith scabs,And the LORDwill maketheir foreheadsbare."
Thereforethussaysthe HolyOneof Israel,"Sinceyou have rejectedthiswordAnd have putyour trustin oppressionand guile,and have reliedon them,
"Listento Me, you stubborn-minded,Who are farfrom righteousness.
He dugit all around,removedits stones,And plantedit with the choicestvine.And He builta towerin the middleof it And alsohewedout a winevatin it; Then He expected[it] to produce[good] grapes,But it produced[only] worthlessones.
Transgressingand denyingthe LORD,And turningawayfrom our God,Speakingoppressionand revolt,Conceiving[in] and utteringfrom the heartlyingwords.
Justiceis turnedback,And righteousnessstandsfaraway;For truthhas stumbledin the street,And uprightnesscannotenter.
Noonesuesrighteouslyand noonepleadshonestly.They trustin confusionand speaklies;They conceivemischiefand bringforthiniquity.
For [as] a youngmanmarriesa virgin,[So] your sonswill marryyou; And [as] the bridegroomrejoicesoverthe bride,[So] your Godwill rejoiceoveryou.
"Manyshepherdshave ruinedMy vineyard,They have trampleddownMy field;They have madeMy pleasantfieldA desolatewilderness.
Onebaskethad verygoodfigs,like first-ripefigs,and the otherbaskethad verybadfigswhichcould not be eatendueto rottenness.
At the shout,"Babylonhas been seized!"the earthis shaken,and an outcryis heardamong the nations.
"The peopleof the landhave practicedoppressionand committedrobbery,and they have wrongedthe poorand needyand have oppressedthe sojournerwithoutjustice.
Israelis a luxuriantvine;He producesfruitfor himself. The morehis fruit,The morealtarshe made;The richerhis land,The betterhe madethe [sacred] pillars.
"For the richmenof [the] city are fullof violence,Her residentsspeaklies,And their tongueis deceitfulin their mouth.
He has toldyou, O man,whatis good;And whatdoes the LORDrequireof you But to dojustice,to lovekindness,And to walkhumblywith your God?
Whydo You makeme seeiniquity,And cause [me] to lookon wickedness?Yes, destructionand violenceare beforeme; Strifeexistsand contentionarises.
"The LORDyour Godis in your midst,A victoriouswarrior.He will exultoveryou with joy,He will be quietin His love,He will rejoiceoveryou with shoutsof joy.
"Woeto you, scribesand Pharisees,hypocrites!For you tithemintand dilland cummin,and have neglectedthe weightier provisionsof the law:justiceand mercyand faithfulness;but theseare the things you shouldhave donewithoutneglectingthe others.
now,will not Godbring aboutjusticefor His electwho cryto Him dayand night,and will He delay longoverthem?
"Everybranchin Me that does not bearfruit,He takes away;and every[branch] that bearsfruit,He prunesit sothat it may bearmorefruit.
"Bewarethat there is nobasethoughtin your heart,saying,The seventhyear,the yearof remission,is near,'and your eyeis hostiletoward your poorbrother,and you givehim nothing;then he may cryto the LORDagainstyou, and it will be a sinin you.
Behold,the payof the laborerswho mowedyour fields,[and] which has been withheldby you, criesout [against you]; and the outcryof thosewho did the harvestinghas reachedthe earsof the Lordof Sabaoth.
