Isaiah

I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name.

1God says: I let myself be found by people who never asked for me. I said, "Here I am! Here I am!" to a nation that did not call on my name.

2I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts;

2All day long I have held my hands out to a stubborn people. They walk a path that is not good, following their own ideas.

3A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick;

3They keep making me angry, right to my face. They offer sacrifices in gardens and burn incense on altars made of brick.

4Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine’s flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels;

4They sit among the graves and spend their nights in hidden places. They eat pig meat, and their bowls hold broth made from unclean things.

5Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.

5They say, "Keep away from me. Don't come near. I am holier than you." People like this are like smoke in my nose, a fire burning all day.

6Behold, it is written before me: I will not keep silence, but will recompense, even recompense into their bosom,

6Look, it is written down in front of me. I will not stay silent. I will pay them back, pay them back in full.

7Your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, saith the LORD, which have burned incense upon the mountains, and blasphemed me upon the hills: therefore will I measure their former work into their bosom.

7The LORD says: I will repay both your own sins and your fathers' sins. They burned incense on the mountains and insulted me on the hills. So I will measure out full payment for what they did.

8Thus saith the LORD, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants’ sakes, that I may not destroy them all.

8The LORD says: When new wine is found in a bunch of grapes, people say, "Don't throw it out. There is something good in it." I will do the same for my servants. I will not destroy them all.

9And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains: and mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there.

9I will bring children out of Jacob, and out of Judah heirs to my mountains. The people I have chosen will own that land, and my servants will live there.

10And Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for the herds to lie down in, for my people that have sought me.

10Sharon will be a field where flocks graze, and the valley of Achor a resting place for herds. This is for my people who look for me.

11But ye are they that forsake the LORD, that forget my holy mountain, that prepare a table for that troop, and that furnish the drink offering unto that number.

11But you are the ones who walk away from the LORD and forget my holy mountain. You set a table for the god Fortune and fill cups of mixed wine for the god Destiny.

NoteThe KJV says "that troop" and "that number." These are the names of two gods people worshipped: Fortune (good luck) and Destiny (fate).

12Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter: because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not.

12So I will count you out for the sword, and you will all kneel down to be killed. When I called, you did not answer. When I spoke, you did not listen. You did evil in front of me and chose what I did not want.

13Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed:

13So the Lord GOD says: My servants will eat, but you will be hungry. My servants will drink, but you will be thirsty. My servants will be glad, but you will be ashamed.

14Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit.

14My servants will shout for joy because their hearts are glad. But you will cry out because your hearts hurt, and wail because your spirits are broken.

15And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord GOD shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name:

15Your name will be left behind as a curse among the people I have chosen. The Lord GOD will put you to death, and he will give his servants a different name.

Note"Leave your name for a curse" means your name will be used as an example of disaster, the way people say "may you end up like him."

16That he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine eyes.

16Anyone in the land who asks for a blessing will ask the God of truth. Anyone who makes a promise will swear by the God of truth. The old troubles will be forgotten and hidden from my sight.

17For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

17Look, I am making new heavens and a new earth. What came before will not be remembered or even come to mind.

18But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.

18Be glad and full of joy forever in what I make. Look, I am making Jerusalem a place of joy and her people a delight.

19And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.

19I will be glad about Jerusalem and delighted with my people. No one will hear the sound of weeping or crying in her again.

20There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.

20No baby there will live only a few days, and no old man will die before his time. A person who dies at a hundred will be counted as young. Anyone who does not reach a hundred will be seen as under a curse.

21And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.

21They will build houses and live in them. They will plant vineyards and eat the fruit.

22They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.

22They will not build houses for someone else to live in, or plant food for someone else to eat. My people will live as long as a tree lives. My chosen ones will fully enjoy what their hands have made.

23They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them.

23They will not work for nothing, or have children who meet disaster. They are a people the LORD has blessed, and their children with them.

24And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.

24Before they even call out, I will answer. While they are still speaking, I will hear.

25The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.

25The wolf and the lamb will eat side by side, and the lion will eat straw like an ox. Dust will be the snake's food. Nothing will hurt or destroy anywhere on my holy mountain, says the LORD.

NoteIn 1611 English, "meat" meant food of any kind, not just meat from animals.