Isaiah 10:1-4 - Woes On The Wicked

¹ Woe be unto you that make unrighteous laws, and devise things, which be too hard for to keep: ² wherethrough the poor are oppressed on every side, and the innocents of my people are therewith robbed of judgment: that widows may be your prey, and that ye may rob the fatherless. ³ What will ye do in time of the visitation and destruction, that shall come from far? To whom will ye run for help? Or to whom will ye give your honour, that he may keep it? ⁴ That ye come not among the prisoners, or lie among the dead? After all this shall not the wrath of the LORD cease, but yet shall his hand be stretched out still.

⁸ Woe be unto you that join one house to another, and bring one land so nigh unto another, that the poor can get no more ground. Will ye dwell upon the earth alone?

⁹ The LORD of Hosts roundeth me thus in mine ear: Shall not many greater and more gorgeous houses be so waste, that no man shall dwell in them? ¹⁰ And ten acres of vines shall give but a quart, and thirty bushels of seed shall give but an ephah.

¹¹ Woe unto them that rise up early to use themselves in drunkenness, and yet at night are more superfluous with wine. ¹² In those companies are harps and lutes, tabrets and pipes, and wine. But they regard not the work of the LORD, and consider not the operation of his hands.

¹³ Therefore cometh my folk also in captivity, because they have no understanding. Their glory is famished with hunger, and their pride is marred for thirst. ¹⁴ Therefore gapeth hell, and openeth her mouth marvelous wide: that their pride, boasting, and wealth, with such as rejoice therein, may descend into it. ¹⁵ Thus shall man have a fall; he shall be brought low, and the high looks of the proud shall be laid down. ¹⁶ But the LORD of Hosts, that holy God: shall be exalted and untouched, when he shall declare his equity and righteousness after this manner. ¹⁷ Then shall the sheep eat their appointed fodder; and the rich mens' lands, that were laid waste, shall strangers devour.

¹⁸ Woe be unto vain persons, that draw wickedness unto them with cords of vanity; and sin, as it were with a cart rope. ¹⁹ Which used to speak on this manner: "Let him make haste now, and go forth with his work, that we may see it! Let that counsel of the holy one of Israel come, and draw nigh, that we may know it!" ²⁰ Woe be unto them that call evil good, and good evil: which make darkness light, and light darkness, that make sour sweet, and sweet sour. ²¹ Woe be unto them that are wise in their own sight, and think themselves to have understanding. ²² Woe be unto them that are cunning men to sup out wine and expert to set up drunkenness. ²³ These give sentence with the ungodly for rewards, but condemn the just cause of the righteous.

²⁴ Therefore like as fire licketh up the straw, and as the flame consumeth the stubble: Even so - when their root is full - their blossom shall vanish away like dust or smoke. For they have cast away the law of the LORD of Hosts, and blaspheme the word of the holy maker of Israel. ²⁵ Therefore is the wrath of the LORD kindled also against his people, and he shaketh his hand at them: yea he shall smite so, that the hills shall tremble. And their carcasses shall lie in the open streets, like mire. And in all this, the wrath of God shall not cease, but he shall stretch his hand wider.