Bilingual reading

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.

Hear, heavens, and listen, earth; for the LORD has spoken: “I have nourished and brought up children and they have rebelled against me.

The ox knows his owner, and the donkey his master’s crib; but Israel doesn’t know. My people don’t consider.”

Ah sinful nation, a people loaded with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the LORD. They have despised the Holy One of Israel. They are estranged and backward.

Why should you be beaten more, that you revolt more and more? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.

From the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness in it, but wounds, welts, and open sores. They haven’t been closed, bandaged, or soothed with oil.

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

The daughter of Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard, like a hut in a field of melons, like a besieged city.

Unless the LORD of Armies had left to us a very small remnant, we would have been as Sodom. We would have been like Gomorrah.

Hear the LORD’s word, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah!

“What are the multitude of your sacrifices to me?”, says the LORD. “I have had enough of the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed animals. I don’t delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of male goats.

When you come to appear before me, who has required this at your hand, to trample my courts?

Bring no more vain offerings. Incense is an abomination to me. New moons, Sabbaths, and convocations— I can’t stand evil assemblies.

My soul hates your New Moons and your appointed feasts. They are a burden to me. I am weary of bearing them.

When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you. Yes, when you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood.

Wash yourselves. Make yourself clean. Put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes. Cease to do evil.

Learn to do well. Seek justice. Relieve the oppressed. Defend the fatherless. Plead for the widow.”

“Come now, and let’s reason together,” says the LORD: “Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good of the land;

but if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured with the sword; for the LORD’s mouth has spoken it.”

How the faithful city has become a prostitute! She was full of justice. Righteousness lodged in her, but now there are murderers.

Your silver has become dross, your wine mixed with water.

Your princes are rebellious and companions of thieves. Everyone loves bribes and follows after rewards. They don’t defend the fatherless, neither does the cause of the widow come to them.

Therefore the Lord, GOD of Armies, the Mighty One of Israel, says: “Ah, I will get relief from my adversaries, and avenge myself on my enemies.

I will turn my hand on you, thoroughly purge away your dross, and will take away all your tin.

I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called ‘The city of righteousness, a faithful town.’

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

But the destruction of transgressors and sinners shall be together, and those who forsake the LORD shall be consumed.

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

For you shall be as an oak whose leaf fades, and as a garden that has no water.

The strong will be like tinder, and his work like a spark. They will both burn together, and no one will quench them.”

رُؤيا أَشَعْيا بنِ آموص، الَّتي رَآها على يَهوذا وأُورَشَليم، في أَيَّامِ عُزِّيَّا ويوتامَ وآحازَ وحِزقِيَّا، مُلوكِ يَهوذا

إِستَمِعي أَيَّتُها السَّمٰوات وأَنصِتي أَيَّتُها الأَرض فإِنَّ الرَّبَّ قد تَكَلَّم. إِنِّي رَبَّيتُ بَنينَ وكَبَّرتُهم لٰكِنَّهم تَمَرَّدوا علَيَّ

عَرَفَ الثَّورُ مالِكَه والحِمارُ مَعلَفَ صاحِبِه لٰكِنَّ إِسْرائيلَ لم يَعرِفْ وشَعْبي لم يَفهَمْ

وَيلٌ لِلأُمَّةِ الخاطِئَة الشَّعبِ المُثقَلِ بِالآثام ذُرِّيَّةِ أَشْرارٍ وبَنينَ فاسِدين. إِنَّهم تَرَكوا الرَّبّ وٱستَهانوا بِقُدُّوسِ إِسْرائيل وٱرتَدُّوا على أَعْقابِهم

عَلامَ تُضرَبونَ أَيضًا إِذا ٱزدَدتُم تَمَرُّدًا؟ الرَّأسُ كُلُّه مَريض والقَلبُ كُلُّه سَقيم

مِن أَخمَصِ القَدَمِ إِلى الرَّأس لا صِحَّةَ فيه بل جُروحٌ ورُضوضٌ وقُروحٌ مَفْتوحة لم تُعالَجْ ولم تُعصَبْ ولَم تُلَيَّنْ بِدُهْن

أَرضُكم خَرابٌ ومُدُنُكم مُحرَقَةٌ بِالنَّار وأَرضُكم يَأكُلُها الغُرَباءُ أَمامَكم والخَرابُ كتَدْميرِ الغُرَباء

فبَقِيَت بِنتُ صِهْيونَ ككوخٍ في كَرْم كمَبيتٍ في أَرضِ قِثَّاء كمَدينَةٍ قد حُوصِرَت

لَولا أَنَّ رَبَّ القُوَّاتِ تَرَكَ لَنا بَقِيَّةً يَسيرة لَصِرْنا مِثْلَ سَدومَ وأَشبَهْنا عَمورَة

إِسمَعوا كَلِمَةَ الرَّبِّ يا قُوَّادَ سَدوم أَصْغِ إِلى تَعْليمِ إِلٰهِنا يا شَعبَ عَمورَة

ما فائِدَتي مِن كَثرَةِ ذَبائِحِكم يَقولُ الرَّبّ؟ قد شَبِعتُ مِن مُحرَقاتِ الكِباش وشَحمِ المُسَمَّنات وأَصبَحَ دَمُ الثِّيرانِ والحُمْلانِ والتُّيوسِ لا يُرْضيني

حينَ تَأتونَ لِتَحضُروا أَمامي مَنِ الَّذي ٱلتَمَسَ هٰذه مِن أَيديكم حتَّى تَدوسوا دِياري؟

لا تَعودوا تأتوني بِتَقدِمَةٍ باطِلَة إِنَّما إِحراقُ البَخورِ قَبيحَةٌ لَدَيَّ. رَأسُ الشَّهرِ والسَّبتُ والدَّعوةُ إِلى الحَفلِ لا أُطيقُها إِنَّما هي إِثمٌ وٱحتِفال

رُؤُوسُ شُهورِكم وأَعيادُكم كَرِهَتها نَفْسي صارَت عَلَيَّ حِملًا وقد سَئِمتُ ٱحتِمالَها

فحينَ تَبسُطونَ أَيدِيَكم أَحجُبُ عَينَيَّ عنكم وإِن أَكثَرتُم مِنَ الصَّلاةِ لا أَستَمِعُ لَكم لِأَنَّ أَيدِيَكم مَمْلوءَةٌ مِنَ الدِّماء

فٱغتَسِلوا وتَطَهَّروا وأَزيلوا شَرَّ أَعْمالِكم مِن أَمامِ عَينَيَّ وكُفُّوا عنِ الإِساءَة

تَعَلَّموا الإِحسانَ وٱلتَمِسوا الحَقّ قَوِّموا الظَّالِمَ وأَنصِفوا اليَتيم وحاموا عنِ الأَرمَلَة

تَعالَوا نَتَناقَش، يَقولُ الرَّبّ لَو كانَت خَطاياكم كالقِرمِزِ تَبيَضُّ كالثَّلْج ولو كانَت حَمْراءَ كالأُرجُوان تَصيرُ كالصُّوف

إِن شِئتُم أَن تَسمَعوا فإِنَّكم تأكُلونَ طَيِّباتِ الأَرض

وإِن أَبَيتُم وتَمَرَّدتُم فالسَّيفُ يأكُلُكم لِأَنَّ فَمَ الرَّبِّ قد تَكَلَّم

كيفَ صارَتِ المَدينَةُ الأَمينَةُ زانِيَة؟ لقَد كانَت مَمْلوءَةً عَدلًا وفيها كانَ مَبيتُ البِرّ أَمَّا الآنَ فإِنَّما فيها قَتَلَة

فِضَّتُكِ صارَت خَبَثًا وشَرابُكِ مُزِجَ بِماء

رُؤَساؤُكِ عُصاةٌ وشُرَكاءُ لِلسَّرَّاقين كُلٌّ يُحِبُّ الرَّشوَةَ ويَسْعى وَراءَ الهَدايا. لا يُنصِفونَ اليَتيم ودَعْوى الأَرمَلَةِ لا تَبلُغُ إِلَيهم

فلِذٰلكَ قالَ السَّيِّدُ رَبُّ القُوَّات عَزيزُ إِسْرائيل: لَأَثأَرَنَّ مِن خُصومي وأَنتَقِمَنَّ مِن أَعْدائي

وأَرُدُّ يَدي علَيكِ وأُحرِقُ خَبَثَكِ كما بِالحُرُض وأَنزِعُ نُفاياتِكِ كُلَّها

وأُرجِعُ قُضاتَكِ كما في الأَوَّل ومُشيريكِ كما في الِٱبتِداء وبَعدَ ذٰلك تُدعَينَ مَدينَةَ البِرِّ، البَلدَةَ الأَمينَة

تُفتَدى صِهيونُ بِالحَقّ والرَّاجِعونَ مِنها بِالبِرّ

والعُصاةُ والخاطِئونَ يُحَطَّمونَ جَميعًا والَّذينَ تَرَكوا الرَّبَّ يُفنَون

فإِنَّهم سيَخزَونَ مِن البُطمِ الَّذي شُغِفتُم بِه وأَنتُم تَخجَلونَ مِنَ الجِنانِ الَّتي ٱختَرتُموها

فإِنَّكم تَصيرونَ كبُطمَةٍ ذَوَت أَوراقُها وكجَنَّةٍ لا ماءَ فيها

ويَصيرُ الجَبَّارُ مُشاقَةً وعَمَلُه شَرارة فيَحتَرِقانِ كِلاهُما مَعًا ولَيسَ مَن يُطفِئ