2. He dug and cleared the field of stones.He planted the best grapevines there.And he built a tower in the middle of it.He cut out a winepress as well.He hoped good grapes would grow there.But only bad grapes grew.
3. My friend says, “You people living in Jerusalem,and you men of Judah,judge between me and my vineyard.
4. What more could I have done for my vineyard?I did everything I could.I hoped for good grapes to grow.But why were there only bad grapes?
5. Now I will tell youwhat I will do to my vineyard:I will remove the hedge,and it will be burned.I will break down the stone wall,and it will be walked on.
6. I will ruin my field.It will not be trimmed or hoed.Weeds and thorns will grow there.I will command the cloudsnot to rain on it.”
7. The vineyard belonging to the Lord of heaven’s armiesis the nation of Israel.The garden that the Lord lovesis the men of Judah.The Lord looked for justice, but there was only killing.The Lord hoped for right living, but there were only cries of pain.
8. How terrible it will be for you who add more houses to your housesand more fields to your fields.Finally there is no room left for other people.Then you are left alone in the land.
9. The Lord of heaven’s armies said this to me:“The fine houses will be destroyed.The large and beautiful houses will be left empty.
10. At that time a ten-acre vineyard will make only six gallons of wine.And ten bushels of seed will grow only half a bushel of grain.”
11. How terrible it will be for people who rise early in the morningto look for strong drink.They stay awake late at night,becoming drunk with wine.
12. At their parties they have lyres, harps,tambourines, flutes and wine.They don’t see what the Lord has done.They don’t notice the work of his hands.
13. So my people will be captured and taken awaybecause they don’t really know me.All the great men will die of hunger.The common people will die of thirst.
14. So the place where the dead are wants more and more people.It opens its mouth wide.Jerusalem’s important men will go down into it.And the common people will go down into it.
15. So the common people and the great people will be humbled.Those who are proud will be humbled.
16. The Lord of heaven’s armies will receive glory by judging fairly.The holy God will show himself holy by doing what is right.
17. Then the sheep will go anywhere they want.Lambs will feed on the land that rich people once owned.
18. How terrible it will be for those people!They pull their guilt and sins behind themas people pull wagons with ropes.