1 This book contains the messages about Judah and Jerusalem which God revealed to Isaiah son of Amoz during the time when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah.
God Reprimands His People
2 The Lord said, “Earth and sky, listen to what I am saying! The children I brought up have rebelled against me. 3 Cattle know who owns them, and donkeys know where their master feeds them. But that is more than my people Israel know. They don't understand at all.”
4 You are doomed, you sinful nation, you corrupt and evil people! Your sins drag you down! You have rejected the Lord, the holy God of Israel, and have turned your backs on him. 5 Why do you keep on rebelling? Do you want to be punished even more? Israel, your head is already covered with wounds, and your heart and mind are sick. 6 From head to foot there is not a healthy spot on your body. You are covered with bruises and sores and open wounds. Your wounds have not been cleaned or bandaged. No medicine has been put on them.
7 Your country has been devastated, and your cities have been burned to the ground. While you look on, foreigners take over your land and bring everything to ruin. 8 Jerusalem alone is left, a city under siege—as defenseless as a guard's hut in a vineyard or a shed in a cucumber field. 9 If the Lord Almighty had not let some of the people survive, Jerusalem would have been totally destroyed, just as Sodom and Gomorrah were.
10 Jerusalem, your rulers and your people are like those of Sodom and Gomorrah. Listen to what the Lord is saying to you. Pay attention to what our God is teaching you. 11 He says, “Do you think I want all these sacrifices you keep offering to me? I have had more than enough of the sheep you burn as sacrifices and of the fat of your fine animals. I am tired of the blood of bulls and sheep and goats. 12 Who asked you to bring me all this when you come to worship me? Who asked you to do all this tramping around in my Temple? 13 It's useless to bring your offerings. I am disgusted with the smell of the incense you burn. I cannot stand your New Moon Festivals, your Sabbaths, and your religious gatherings; they are all corrupted by your sins. 14 I hate your New Moon Festivals and holy days; they are a burden that I am tired of bearing.
15 “When you lift your hands in prayer, I will not look at you. No matter how much you pray, I will not listen, for your hands are covered with blood. 16 Wash yourselves clean. Stop all this evil that I see you doing. Yes, stop doing evil 17 and learn to do right. See that justice is done—help those who are oppressed, give orphans their rights, and defend widows.”
18 The Lord says, “Now, let's settle the matter. You are stained red with sin, but I will wash you as clean as snow. Although your stains are deep red, you will be as white as wool. 19 If you will only obey me, you will eat the good things the land produces. 20 But if you defy me, you are doomed to die. I, the Lord, have spoken.”
The Sinful City
21 The city that once was faithful is behaving like a whore! At one time it was filled with righteous people, but now only murderers remain. 22 Jerusalem, you were once like silver, but now you are worthless; you were like good wine, but now you are only water. 23 Your leaders are rebels and friends of thieves; they are always accepting gifts and bribes. They never defend orphans in court or listen when widows present their case.
24 So now, listen to what the Lord Almighty, Israel's powerful God, is saying: “I will take revenge on you, my enemies, and you will cause me no more trouble. 25 I will take action against you. I will purify you the way metal is refined, and will remove all your impurity. 26 I will give you rulers and advisers like those you had long ago. Then Jerusalem will be called the righteous, faithful city.”
27 Because the Lord is righteous, he will save Jerusalem and everyone there who repents. 28 But he will crush everyone who sins and rebels against him; he will kill everyone who forsakes him.
29 You will be sorry that you ever worshiped trees and planted sacred gardens. 30 You will wither like a dying oak, like a garden that no one waters. 31 Just as straw is set on fire by a spark, so powerful people will be destroyed by their own evil deeds, and no one will be able to stop the destruction.
1 هذِهِ رُؤْيا إشَعيا بنِ آموصَ، رَآها على يَهوذا وأُورُشليمَ في أيّامِ عُزِّيَّا ويُوثامَ وآحازَ وحزقيَّا، ملوكِ يَهوذا:
الله يوبخ شعبه
2 إسمعي أيَّتها السَّماواتُ واصغي أيَّتها الأرضُ، لأنَّ الرّبَّ يتكلَّمُ: «البنونَ الّذينَ رَبَّيتُهُم ورفعتُهُم تمَرَّدوا عليَّ. 3 الثَّورُ يعرفُ مُقتَنيهِ والحمارُ مَعلَفَ صاحبِهِ، أمَّا بَنو إِسرائيلَ فلا يعرِفونَ، شعبـي لا يفهَمُ شيئا».
4 ويلٌ للأُمَّةِ الخاطئةِ، للشَّعبِ المُثقَلِ بالإثْمِ، لنسلِ الأشرارِ والبنينَ المُفسِدينَ! تركوا الرّبَّ واستَهانوا باللهِ قُدُّوسِ إِسرائيلَ، وإليهِ أداروا ظُهورَهُم.
5 أينَ تَضرِبونَ بعدُ أنتُم تُمعنونَ في التَّمرُّدِ عليَّ، أعلى الرَّأسِ وكُلُّهُ مريضٌ؟ أم على القلبِ وهوَ بأكمَلِه سقيمٌ؟ 6 مِنْ أسفَلِ القَدمَينِ إلى قِمَّةِ الرَّأسِ لا صِحَّةَ فيكُم، بل جُروحٌ ورُضوضٌ لا تُضَمَّدُ، وقُروحٌ طَريئةٌ لا تُفقَأُ ولا تُليَّنُ بزَيتٍ. 7 أرضُكُم خرابٌ ومُدُنكُم مَحروقَةٌ بالنَّارِ. حُقولُكُم يأكُلُ غِلالَها الغُرباءُ أمامَ عُيونِكُم. خَرابُها كخَرابِ سَدومَ.
8 إبنَةُ صِهيَونَ بَقيَت وحدَها، كخَيمةٍ في كَرمٍ، ككوخٍ في مَزرَعةٍ، كمدينةٍ تَحتَ الحِصارِ. 9 ولَولا أنَّ الرّبَّ القديرَ ترَكَ لنا بَقيَّةً مِنَ النَّاجينَ، لَصِرنا مِثلَ سَدومَ وأشبَهْنا عَمورَةَ. 10 إسمَعوا كلامَ الرّبِّ يا حُكَّامَ سَدومَ! أصغوا إلى شريعَةِ إلَهِنا يا شعبَ عَمورةَ. 11 يقولُ الرّبُّ: «ما فائدَتي مِنْ كثرةِ ذبائحِكُم؟ شَبِــعتُ مِنْ مُحرَقاتِ الكِباشِ وشَحْمِ المُسَمَّناتِ. دمُ العُجولِ والكِباشِ والتُّيوسِ ما عادَ يُرضيني. 12 حينَ تَجيئونَ لتَعبُدوني، مَنْ يطلُبُ ذلِكَ مِنكُم؟ لا تَدوسوا بـيتي بعدَ اليومِ 13 وبتَقدِماتِكُمُ الباطِلَةِ لا تَجيئوا إليَّ، فرائحَةُ ذبائحِكُم مَعيـبةٌ عِندي. شعائِرُ رأسِ الشَّهرِ والسَّبتِ، والدَّعوَةُ إلى الصَّلاةِ لا أُطيقُها، ولا أُطيقُ مَواسِمَكُم واحتِفالاتِكُم. 14 رُؤوسُ شُهورِكُم وأعيادُكُم كَرِهَتْها نفْسي. صارَت ثقْلا عليَّ وسَئمْتُ احتِمالَها. 15 إذا بَسَطْتُم أيديَكُم للصَّلاةِ أحجُبُ عينَيَّ عَنكُم، وإنْ أكثَرتُم مِنَ الدُّعاءِ لا أستَمِعُ لكُم، لأنَّ أيديَكُم مَملوءَةٌ مِنَ الدِّماءِ. 16 فاغتَسِلوا وتَطهَّروا وأزيلوا شرَّ أعمالِكُم مِنْ أمامِ عينَيَّ وكُفُّوا عَنِ الإساءةِ. 17 تعَلَّموا الإحسانَ واطلُبوا العَدلَ. أغيثوا المَظلومَ وأنصِفوا اليتيمَ وحاموا عَنِ الأرملَةِ».
18 ويقولُ الرّبُّ: «تَعالَوا الآنَ نتَعاتَبُ. إنْ كانَت خطاياكُم بِلَونِ القِرمِزِ، فهيَ تَبـيَضُّ كالثَّلجِ؟ وإنْ كانَت حمراءَ غامِقَةً، فهيَ تصيرُ بـيضاءَ كالصُّوفِ؟ 19 لو كُنتُم سَمِعْتُم لي، لأكَلتُم خيراتِ الأرضِ. 20 ولكِنَّكُم رفَضتُم وتمَرَّدتُم عليَّ فكُنتُم طَعاما للسَّيفِ». أنا الرّبُّ تكلَّمَ.
المدينة الخاطئة
21 كيفَ صارَتِ المدينةُ الأمينَةُ زانيةً. كانَت عامِرةً بالعَدلِ وفيها يَسكُنُ الحَقُّ. أمَّا الآنَ ففيها يسكُنُ القَتلَةُ.
22 فضَّتُكِ صارَت زَغَلا وخَمرُكِ مَغشوشةٌ بماءٍ. 23 حُكَّامُكِ قومٌ مُتَمرِّدونَ وشُرَكاءُ لقُطَّاعِ الطُّرُق. كلُّهُم يُحِبُّ الرَّشوَةَ ويسعى وراءَ الرِّبحِ. لا يُنصِفونَ اليتيمَ بشيءٍ، ولا تصِلُ إليهِم دَعوى الأرملَةِ.
24 لذلِكَ قالَ الرّبُّ القديرُ جبَّارُ إِسرائيلَ: «سأُريحُ نفْسي مِنْ خُصومي وأنتَقِمُ مِنْ أعدائي 25 فأرفَعُ يَدي علَيكِ يا أورُشليمَ، أُنَقِّي زَغَلَكِ بالنَّطرُونِ وأُزيلُ كُلَّ أقذارِكِ. 26 وأُعيدُ قُضاتَكِ إليكِ كما في الأوَّلِ، ومُرشِديكِ كما في البَداءَةِ، فتُدعَينَ مدينةَ العَدلِ، المدينةَ الأمينةَ».
27 بالعَدلِ تُفتَدى صِهيَونُ، وبالحَقِّ أهلُها التَّائبونَ. 28 أمَّا المُتَمرِّدونَ والخاطِئونَ جميعا فيَهلِكونَ، والّذينَ ترَكوا الرّبَّ يَفنَونَ.
29 ستَخجَلونَ مِنْ عِبادةِ أشجارِ البُطْمِ، وتَستَحونَ مِنْ تقديسِ جنائنِ الأوثانِ، 30 فتَصيرونَ كبُطمَةٍ ذَوَت أوراقُها، وكجُنَينَةٍ لا ماءَ فيها. 31 ويصيرُ الجبَّارُ فيكُم كالقُشورِ وعمَلُهُ كالشَّرارةِ، فيَحترِقانِ كِلاهُما معا ولا مَنْ يُطفئُ.