Isaiah Chapter 55

Isaiah 55 — English translation

Translation: THE JPS TANAKH: Gender-Sensitive Edition. Verse numbers match the Hebrew text below.

1. 1Ho, all who are thirsty, Come for water, Even if you have no money; Come, buy food and eat: Buy food without money, Wine and milk without cost.
2. 2Why do you spend money for what is not bread, Your earnings for what does not satisfy? Give heed to Me, And you shall eat choice food And enjoy the richest viands.
3. 3Incline your ear and come to Me; Hearken, and you shall be revived. And I will make with you an everlasting covenant, The enduring loyalty promised to David.
4. 4As I made him a leader of peoples, A prince and commander of peoples,
5. 5So you shall summon a nation you did not know, And a nation that did not know you Shall come running to you — For the sake of the E TERNAL your God, The Holy One of Israel who has glorified you.
6. 6Seek G OD while you can, Call out while [God] is near.
7. 7Let the wicked give up their ways, The sinful, their plans; Let each one turn back to G OD So as to be pardoned; To our God, Who freely forgives.
8. 8For My plans are not your plans, Nor are My ways your ways —declares G OD .
9. 9But as the heavens are high above the earth, So are My ways high above your ways And My plans above your plans.
10. 10For as the rain or snow drops from heaven And returns not there, But soaks the earth And makes it bring forth vegetation, Yielding seed for sowing and bread for eating,
11. 11So is the word that issues from My mouth: It does not come back to Me unfulfilled, But performs what I purpose, Achieves what I sent it to do.
12. 12Yea, you shall leave in joy and be led home secure. Before you, mount and hill shall shout aloud, And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13. 13Instead of the brier, a cypress shall rise; Instead of the nettle, a myrtle shall rise. These shall stand as a testimony to G OD , As an everlasting sign that shall not perish.

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