1. I’ll now sing a song to the one whom I love… a song of my loved one concerning his vineyard: a vineyard belonged to one who was loved… a horn of plenty in a bountiful land.
2. Around it, he built a fence and palisade, then the choicest of grapevines, he planted. In its midst, he then built a tower, and thereafter, he dug out a winepress. Then he waited for grapes to start growing, but, all that grew was thorn bushes.
3. Now, you who dwell in Jerusalem… yes, you men of Judea… judge between him and his vineyard.
4. What can he do for his vineyard that hasn’t already been done? He waited for it to grow grapes, but all it produced was thorn bushes.
5. So I’ll tell you what he’ll do to his vineyard: he’ll remove its gate and let it be ravaged… he’ll demolish its walls and let it be trampled.
6. He’ll abandon his vineyard, so it won’t be pruned, nor will it be hoed anymore. He’ll return it to the way it once was… an uncultivated land of thorn bushes. And to the clouds, he’ll then give the order to not provide it with rain.
7. The house of Israel is the vineyard of Jehovah of Armies, and Judah’s people are his beloved plants, on whom he waited to give him what’s due. But they just produced lawless ways… instead of a tower of justice, cries of distress is all that they’ve brought.
8. So, woe to those who gather in homes and in the fields roundabout. For, after your neighbors are taken away, you’ll live all alone in the land.
9. Since Jehovah of Armies has heard what you’ve done! So, where there were once many houses, there will just be desolation, and no one will live there again.
10. Then, although you’ll plow with ten oxen teams, you’ll harvest just enough to fill one clay pot. And although you may plant six large measures, just three measures will grow.
11. So, woe to those who rise early to spend their days chasing liquor and stay up late as they drink it; for, they will burn along with their wine.
12. They drink to the sounds of the harp and the lute as well as pipes and tambourines, as they fail to think of the works of Jehovah… the works of his hands, they have failed to consider.
13. So, my people will all become captives because they’ve forgotten their Lord. Many will die from hunger and thirst;
14. For the place of the dead has widened its soul and opened its mouth to consume them. Then, the glorious will fall with the great and the rich, and all of those who respect them.
15. My people will then be cut down, and their men will all be dishonored… yes, those who walked proud will be shamed.
16. Then the justice of Jehovah of Armies will arise… and because he will have proven his justice, our holy God will be glorified.
17. Then, there will come those who will rip you apart, and on your bulls, they will graze… yes, those who will come to wipe out your land will also be eating your lambs.
18. So, woe to those drawing sins as with ropes, and lawless ways as the yoke on a bull…
19. Those saying: let him come and do whatever he wants… let him do it soon, so we’ll see it… let the holy one’s will come to pass, so we can all know what it is.
20. Yes, woe to those who call evil, good and those who are calling good, bad… those who turn what’s dark into light and turn what’s light into darkness… those who make bitter sound, sweet and those who turn sweet into bitter.
21. Woe to those who think themselves wise, and think that they have greater knowledge.
22. Woe to your strong ones and those drinking wine… the mighty who are mixing their liquor…
23. Those who favor the wicked, because they’ve been bribed, and from the righteous, snatch justice.
24. For this, they’ll be burned up like stubble… they’ll be burned like coals leaping with flames. Their roots and flowers will be turned into dust for rejecting the laws of Jehovah of Armies… they’ve despised Israel’s holy one’s words.
25. For with his people, Jehovah of Armies is angry, and to strike them, he’s lifted his hand. The smell of rotting flesh will drive mountains to rage… for, like manure on the roads, they’ll become. Yet, even this won’t soften his rage or still the raising of his hand.
26. So he’ll lift a sign to nations far away... he’ll whistle to them from the ends of the earth, and they’ll take quick notice and come here.
27. They won’t get hungry or tired, nor will they slumber or sleep. They’ll not untie their belts from their waists, nor will they loosen their sandals.
28. With stretched-tight bows they will come, and with the arrows that they’ve sharpened. The feet of their horses will be like hard rocks, and blasts will come from their chariot wheels.
29. Like lions, they will then advance with their cubs all walking beside them… they’ll snatch you and yell like wild beasts, as they carry you off… when no one will be there to save you.
30. Yes, because of you, they’ll yell in that day like the sounds of the roar of the seas. Then you’ll look to the heavens above, and to the ground underneath you, and all you will see is hard darkness in your terrible time of distress.