1. I was ready to respond to those who did not ask,to be found by those who did not seek me.I said: Here I am! Here I am!To a nation that did not invoke my name.
2. I have stretched out my hands all dayto a rebellious people,Who walk in a way that is not good,following their own designs;
3. A people who provoke mecontinually to my face,Offering sacrifices in gardensand burning incense on bricks,
4. Sitting in tombsand spending the night in caves,Eating the flesh of pigs,with broth of unclean meat in their dishes;
5. Crying out, “Hold back,do not come near me, lest I render you holy!”These things are smoke in my nostrils,a fire that burns all the day.
6. See, it stands written before me;I will not remain quiet until I have repaid in full
7. Your crimes and the crimes of your ancestors as well,says the Lord.Since they burned incense on the mountains,and insulted me on the hills,I will at once pour out in full measuretheir recompense into their laps.
8. Thus says the Lord:As when the juice is pressed from a cluster,and someone says, “Do not destroy it,for there is still good in it,”So will I do for the sake of my servants:I will not destroy them all.
9. From Jacob I will bring forth offspring,from Judah, those who are to possess my mountains;My chosen ones shall possess the land,my servants shall dwell there.
10. Sharon shall become a pasture for the flocks,the Valley of Achor a resting place for the cattle,for my people who have sought me.
11. But you who forsake the Lord,who forget my holy mountain,Who spread a table for Fortuneand fill cups of mixed wine for Destiny,
12. You I will destine for the sword;you shall all bow down for slaughter;Because I called and you did not answer,I spoke and you did not listen,But did what is evil in my sightand things I do not delight in, you chose,
13. therefore thus says the Lord God:My servants shall eat,but you shall go hungry;My servants shall drink,but you shall be thirsty;My servants shall rejoice,but you shall be put to shame;
14. My servants shall shoutfor joy of heart,But you shall cry out for grief of heart,and howl for anguish of spirit.
15. You will leave your name for a curse to my chosen oneswhen the Lord God slays you,and calls his servants by another name.
16. Whoever invokes a blessing in the landshall bless by the God of truth;Whoever takes an oath in the landshall swear by the God of truth;For the hardships of the past shall be forgottenand hidden from my eyes.
17. See, I am creating new heavensand a new earth;The former things shall not be rememberednor come to mind.
18. Instead, shout for joy and be glad foreverin what I am creating.Indeed, I am creating Jerusalem to be a joyand its people to be a delight;
19. I will rejoice in Jerusalemand exult in my people.No longer shall the sound of weeping be heard there,or the sound of crying;
20. No longer shall there be in itan infant who lives but a few days,nor anyone who does not live a full lifetime;One who dies at a hundred years shall be considered a youth,and one who falls short of a hundred shall be thought accursed.
21. They shall build houses and live in them,they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit;
22. They shall not build and others live there;they shall not plant and others eat.As the years of a tree, so the years of my people;and my chosen ones shall long enjoythe work of their hands.
23. They shall not toil in vain,nor beget children for sudden destruction;For they shall be a people blessed by the Lordand their descendants with them.
24. Before they call, I will answer;while they are yet speaking, I will hear.
25. The wolf and the lamb shall pasture together,and the lion shall eat hay like the ox—but the serpent’s food shall be dust.None shall harm or destroyon all my holy mountain, says the Lord.