1. Now let me sing of my friend,my beloved’s song about his vineyard.My friend had a vineyardon a fertile hillside;
2. He spaded it, cleared it of stones,and planted the choicest vines;Within it he built a watchtower,and hewed out a wine press.Then he waited for the crop of grapes,but it yielded rotten grapes.
3. Now, inhabitants of Jerusalem, people of Judah,judge between me and my vineyard:
4. What more could be done for my vineyardthat I did not do?Why, when I waited for the crop of grapes,did it yield rotten grapes?
5. Now, I will let you knowwhat I am going to do to my vineyard:Take away its hedge, give it to grazing,break through its wall, let it be trampled!
6. Yes, I will make it a ruin:it shall not be pruned or hoed,but will be overgrown with thorns and briers;I will command the cloudsnot to rain upon it.
7. The vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel,the people of Judah, his cherished plant;He waited for judgment, but see, bloodshed!for justice, but hark, the outcry!
8. Ah! Those who join house to house,who connect field with field,Until no space remains, and you alone dwellin the midst of the land!
9. In my hearing the Lord of hosts has sworn:Many houses shall be in ruins,houses large and fine, with nobody living there.
10. Ten acres of vineyardshall yield but one bath,And a homer of seedshall yield but an ephah.