Isaiah 5

1Let me sing for my well beloved, a song of my beloved about his vineyard. 2He spaded it, removed the stones, and planted it with an excellent kind of vine. 3So now, inhabitant of Jerusalem and man of Judah, 4What more could have been done for my vineyard, that I have not done for it? 5Now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will remove the hedge, 6I will lay it waste, and it will not be pruned nor hoed. Instead, briers and thorns will spring up. 7For the vineyard of Yahweh of hosts is the house of Israel, 8Woe to those who join house to house, who join field to field, 9Yahweh of hosts told me, 10For a ten-yoke vineyard will yield only one bath, and one homer of seed will yield only an ephah. 11Woe to those who rise up early in the morning to obtain strong drink, 12They banquet with harp, lute, tambourine, flute, and wine, 13Therefore my people have gone into captivity for lack of understanding; 14Therefore Sheol has made its appetite greater and has opened its mouth very wide; 15Man will be forced to bend down, and mankind will be humbled; the eyes of the lofty will be cast down. 16Yahweh of hosts will be exalted in his justice, and God the Holy One will show himself holy by his righteousness. 17Then the sheep will feed as in their own pasture, and in the ruins, lambs will graze as foreigners. Some modern versions have and in the ruins of the rich, lambs will graze . 18Woe to those who pull along iniquity with useless cords and who pull along sin as if it were with a cart rope. 19Woe to those who say, “Let God hurry, let him act quickly, so we can see it happen; 20Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; 21Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own understanding! 22Woe to those who are champions at drinking wine, and masters at mixing strong drinks; 23who acquit the wicked for payment, and deprive the innocent of his rights! 24Therefore as the tongue of fire devours stubble, and as the dry grass goes down in flame, 25Therefore the anger of Yahweh is kindled against his people. He has reached out with his hand against them and has punished them. 26He will lift up a signal flag for far away nations and will whistle for those at the end of the earth. 27None tire or stumble among them; none slumbers or sleeps. 28Their arrows are sharp and all their bows are bent; 29Their roaring will be like a lion; they will roar like young lions.