Isaiah 10:1-4 - Woes On The Wicked

Isaiah 10:1-4

1 Cursed are those who make evil decisions, and the writers who make the records of their cruel acts: 2 Who do wrong to the poor in their cause, and take away the right of the crushed among my people, so that they may have the property of widows, and get under their power those who have no father. 3 And what will you do in the day of punishment, and in the destruction which is coming from far? to whom will you go for help, and what will become of your glory? 4 ... For all this his wrath is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

Isaiah 5:8-25

8 Cursed are those who are joining house to house, and putting field to field, till there is no more living-space for any but themselves in all the land!

9 The Lord of armies has said to me secretly, Truly, numbers of great and fair houses will be waste, with no one living in them. 10 For ten fields of vines will only give one measure of wine, and a great amount of seed will only give a small measure of grain.

11 Cursed are those who get up early in the morning to give themselves up to strong drink; who keep on drinking far into the night till they are heated with wine! 12 And corded instruments and wind-instruments and wine are in their feasts: but they give no thought to the work of the Lord, and they are not interested in what his hands are doing.

13 For this cause my people are taken away as prisoners into strange countries for need of knowledge: and their rulers are wasted for need of food, and their loud-voiced feasters are dry for need of water. 14 For this cause the underworld has made wide its throat, opening its mouth without limit: and her glory, and the noise of her masses, and her loud-voiced feasters, will go down into it. 15 And the poor man's head is bent, and the great man goes down on his face, and the eyes of pride are put to shame: 16 But the Lord of armies is lifted up as judge, and the Holy God is seen to be holy in righteousness. 17 Then the lambs will get food as in their grass-lands, and the fat cattle will be feasting in the waste places.

18 Cursed are those who make use of ox-cords for pulling the evil thing, and the bands of a young ox for their sin! 19 Who say, Let him do his work quickly, let him make it sudden, so that we may see it: let the design of the Holy One of Israel come near, so that it may be clear to us. 20 Cursed are those who give the name of good to evil, and of evil to what is good: who make light dark, and dark light: who make bitter sweet, and sweet bitter! 21 Cursed are those who seem wise to themselves, and who take pride in their knowledge! 22 Cursed are those who are strong to take wine, and great in making mixed drinks! 23 Who for a reward give support to the cause of the sinner, and who take away the righteousness of the upright from him.

24 For this cause, as the waste of the grain is burned up by tongues of fire, and as the dry grass goes down before the flame, so their root will be like the dry stems of grain, and their flower will go up in dust: because they have gone against the law of the Lord of armies, and have given no honour to the word of the Holy One of Israel. 25 For this reason the wrath of the Lord has been burning against his people, and his hand has been stretched out against them in punishment, and the hills were shaking, and their dead bodies were like waste in the open places of the town.


Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain