Extol the Lord, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion!

He sends the snow that is white like wool; he spreads the frost that is white like ashes.

Praise him, O sun and moon! Praise him, all you shiny stars!

O fire and hail, snow and clouds, O stormy wind that carries out his orders,

Let Israel rejoice in their Creator! Let the people of Zion delight in their king!

The Proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:

For the Lord disciplines those he loves, just as a father disciplines the son in whom he delights.

When I was a son to my father, a tender only child before my mother,

But why should you be captivated, my son, by an adulteress, and embrace the bosom of a different woman?

The wicked will be captured by his own iniquities, and he will be held by the cords of his own sin.

The one who gathers crops in the summer is a wise son, but the one who sleeps during the harvest is a son who brings shame to himself.

A wise son accepts his father's discipline, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.

Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.

The one who robs his father and chases away his mother is a son who brings shame and disgrace.

Who can say, "I have kept my heart clean; I am pure from my sin"?

Haughty eyes and a proud heart -- the agricultural product of the wicked is sin.

Give me your heart, my son, and let your eyes observe my ways;

A foolish scheme is sin, and the scorner is an abomination to people.

for it is better for him to say to you, "Come up here," than to put you lower before a prince, whom your eyes have seen.

Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to those who send him, for he refreshes the heart of his masters.

Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool.

Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad, so that I may answer anyone who taunts me.

The words of Agur, the son of Jakeh; an oracle: This man says to Ithiel, to Ithiel and to Ukal:

Who has ascended into heaven, and then descended? Who has gathered up the winds in his fists? Who has bound up the waters in his cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name? -- if you know!

O my son, O son of my womb, O son of my vows,

She is not afraid of the snow for her household, for all of her household are clothed with scarlet.

The words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:

The sun rises and the sun sets; it hurries away to a place from which it rises again.

But better than both is the one who has not been born and has not seen the evil things that are done on earth.

Do not let your mouth cause you to sin, and do not tell the priest, "It was a mistake!" Why make God angry at you so that he would destroy the work of your hands?"

Here is a misfortune on earth that I have seen: Wealth hoarded by its owner to his own misery.

Then that wealth was lost through bad luck; although he fathered a son, he has nothing left to give him.

I have seen personally what is the only beneficial and appropriate course of action for people: to eat and drink, and find enjoyment in all their hard work on earth during the few days of their life which God has given them, for this is their reward.

Here is another misfortune that I have seen on earth, and it weighs heavily on people:

During the days of my fleeting life I have seen both of these things: Sometimes a righteous person dies prematurely in spite of his righteousness, and sometimes a wicked person lives long in spite of his evil deeds.

While applying my mind to everything that happens in this world, I have seen all this: Sometimes one person dominates other people to their harm.

Not only that, but I have seen the wicked approaching and entering the temple, and as they left the holy temple, they boasted in the city that they had done so. This also is an enigma.

I have seen another misfortune on the earth: It is an error a ruler makes.

I have seen slaves on horseback and princes walking on foot like slaves.

Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobility, and your princes feast at the proper time -- with self-control and not in drunkenness.

Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for a person to see the sun.

before the sun and the light of the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds disappear after the rain;

Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them. There is no end to the making of many books, and much study is exhausting to the body.

Do not stare at me because I am dark, for the sun has burned my skin. My brothers were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards. Alas, my own vineyard I could not keep!

The night watchmen found me -- the ones who guard the city walls. "Have you seen my beloved?"

Come out, O maidens of Zion, and gaze upon King Solomon! He is wearing the crown with which his mother crowned him on his wedding day, on the most joyous day of his life!

"Who is this who appears like the dawn? Beautiful as the moon, bright as the sun, awe-inspiring as the stars in procession?"

Here is the message about Judah and Jerusalem that was revealed to Isaiah son of Amoz during the time when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah reigned over Judah.

Daughter Zion is left isolated, like a hut in a vineyard, or a shelter in a cucumber field; she is a besieged city.

Do not bring any more meaningless offerings; I consider your incense detestable! You observe new moon festivals, Sabbaths, and convocations, but I cannot tolerate sin-stained celebrations!

Come, let's consider your options," says the Lord. "Though your sins have stained you like the color red, you can become white like snow; though they are as easy to see as the color scarlet, you can become white like wool.

Zion will be freed by justice, and her returnees by righteousness.

Here is the message about Judah and Jerusalem that was revealed to Isaiah son of Amoz.

many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the Lord's mountain, to the temple of the God of Jacob, so he can teach us his requirements, and we can follow his standards." For Zion will be the center for moral instruction; the Lord will issue edicts from Jerusalem.

The look on their faces testifies to their guilt; like the people of Sodom they openly boast of their sin. Too bad for them! For they bring disaster on themselves.

The Lord says, "The women of Zion are proud. They walk with their heads high and flirt with their eyes. They skip along and the jewelry on their ankles jingles.

So the sovereign master will afflict the foreheads of Zion's women with skin diseases, the Lord will make the front of their heads bald."

Those remaining in Zion, those left in Jerusalem, will be called "holy," all in Jerusalem who are destined to live.

At that time the sovereign master will wash the excrement from Zion's women, he will rinse the bloodstains from Jerusalem's midst, as he comes to judge and to bring devastation.

Then the Lord will create over all of Mount Zion and over its convocations a cloud and smoke by day and a bright flame of fire by night; indeed a canopy will accompany the Lord's glorious presence.

So Death will open up its throat, and open wide its mouth; Zion's dignitaries and masses will descend into it, including those who revel and celebrate within her.

Those who pull evil along using cords of emptiness are as good as dead, who pull sin as with cart ropes.

I said, "Too bad for me! I am destroyed, for my lips are contaminated by sin, and I live among people whose lips are contaminated by sin. My eyes have seen the king, the Lord who commands armies."

He touched my mouth with it and said, "Look, this coal has touched your lips. Your evil is removed; your sin is forgiven."

During the reign of Ahaz son of Jotham, son of Uzziah, king of Judah, King Rezin of Syria and King Pekah son of Remaliah of Israel marched up to Jerusalem to do battle, but they were unable to prevail against it.

So the Lord told Isaiah, "Go out with your son Shear-jashub and meet Ahaz at the end of the conduit of the upper pool which is located on the road to the field where they wash and dry cloth.

Tell him, 'Make sure you stay calm! Don't be afraid! Don't be intimidated by these two stubs of smoking logs, or by the raging anger of Rezin, Syria, and the son of Remaliah.

Syria has plotted with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah to bring about your demise.

They say, "Let's attack Judah, terrorize it, and conquer it. Then we'll set up the son of Tabeel as its king."

Ephraim's leader is Samaria, and Samaria's leader is the son of Remaliah. If your faith does not remain firm, then you will not remain secure."

"Ask for a confirming sign from the Lord your God. You can even ask for something miraculous."

For this reason the sovereign master himself will give you a confirming sign. Look, this young woman is about to conceive and will give birth to a son. You, young woman, will name him Immanuel.

Then I will summon as my reliable witnesses Uriah the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah."

I then had sexual relations with the prophetess; she conceived and gave birth to a son. The Lord told me, "Name him Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz,

"These people have rejected the gently flowing waters of Shiloah and melt in fear over Rezin and the son of Remaliah.

Look, I and the sons whom the Lord has given me are reminders and object lessons in Israel, sent from the Lord who commands armies, who lives on Mount Zion.

For a child has been born to us, a son has been given to us. He shoulders responsibility and is called: Extraordinary Strategist, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

But when the sovereign master finishes judging Mount Zion and Jerusalem, then I will punish the king of Assyria for what he has proudly planned and for the arrogant attitude he displays.

So here is what the sovereign master, the Lord who commands armies, says: "My people who live in Zion, do not be afraid of Assyria, even though they beat you with a club and lift their cudgel against you as Egypt did.

For very soon my fury will subside, and my anger will be directed toward their destruction."

This very day, standing in Nob, they shake their fist at Daughter Zion's mountain -- at the hill of Jerusalem.

Cry out and shout for joy, O citizens of Zion, for the Holy One of Israel acts mightily among you!"

This is a message about Babylon that God revealed to Isaiah son of Amoz:

Indeed the stars in the sky and their constellations no longer give out their light; the sun is darkened as soon as it rises, and the moon does not shine.

I will punish the world for its evil, and wicked people for their sin. I will put an end to the pride of the insolent, I will bring down the arrogance of tyrants.

Look how you have fallen from the sky, O shining one, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the ground, O conqueror of the nations!

How will they respond to the messengers of this nation? Indeed, the Lord has made Zion secure; the oppressed among his people will find safety in her.

Send rams as tribute to the ruler of the land, from Sela in the desert to the hill of Daughter Zion.

At that time tribute will be brought to the Lord who commands armies, by a people that are tall and smooth-skinned, a people that are feared far and wide, a nation strong and victorious, whose land rivers divide. The tribute will be brought to the place where the Lord who commands armies has chosen to reside, on Mount Zion.

The officials of Zoan are nothing but fools; Pharaoh's wise advisers give stupid advice. How dare you say to Pharaoh, "I am one of the sages, one well-versed in the writings of the ancient kings?"

The officials of Zoan are fools, the officials of Memphis are misled; the rulers of her tribes lead Egypt astray.

At that time five cities in the land of Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the Lord who commands armies. One will be called the City of the Sun.

At that time the Lord announced through Isaiah son of Amoz: "Go, remove the sackcloth from your waist and take your sandals off your feet." He did as instructed and walked around in undergarments and barefoot.

The Lord who commands armies told me this: "Certainly this sin will not be forgiven as long as you live," says the sovereign master, the Lord who commands armies.

"At that time I will summon my servant Eliakim, son of Hilkiah.

The earth will stagger around like a drunk; it will sway back and forth like a hut in a windstorm. Its sin will weigh it down, and it will fall and never get up again.

The full moon will be covered up, the bright sun will be darkened; for the Lord who commands armies will rule on Mount Zion in Jerusalem in the presence of his assembly, in majestic splendor.

For look, the Lord is coming out of the place where he lives, to punish the sin of those who live on the earth. The earth will display the blood shed on it; it will no longer cover up its slain.

So in this way Jacob's sin will be forgiven, and this is how they will show they are finished sinning: They will make all the stones of the altars like crushed limestone, and the Asherah poles and the incense altars will no longer stand.

The withering flower, its beautiful splendor, situated at the head of a rich valley, will be like an early fig before harvest -- as soon as someone notices it, he grabs it and swallows it.