1 Let me make a song about my loved one, a song of love for his vine-garden. My loved one had a vine-garden on a fertile hill:

1 אָשִׁ֤ירָה נָּא֙ לִֽידִידִ֔י שִׁירַ֥ת דֹּודִ֖י לְכַרְמֹ֑ו כֶּ֛רֶם הָיָ֥ה לִֽידִידִ֖י בְּקֶ֥רֶן בֶּן־שָֽׁמֶן׃

2 And after working the earth of it with a spade, he took away its stones, and put in it a very special vine; and he put up a watchtower in the middle of it, hollowing out in the rock a place for the grape-crushing; and he was hoping that it would give the best grapes, but it gave common grapes.

2 וַֽיְעַזְּקֵ֣הוּ וַֽיְסַקְּלֵ֗הוּ וַיִּטָּעֵ֙הוּ֙ שֹׂרֵ֔ק וַיִּ֤בֶן מִגְדָּל֙ בְּתֹוכֹ֔ו וְגַם־יֶ֖קֶב חָצֵ֣ב בֹּ֑ו וַיְקַ֛ו לַעֲשֹׂ֥ות עֲנָבִ֖ים וַיַּ֥עַשׂ בְּאֻשִֽׁים׃

3 And now, you people of Jerusalem and you men of Judah, be the judges between me and my vine-garden.

3 וְעַתָּ֛ה יֹושֵׁ֥ב יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם וְאִ֣ישׁ יְהוּדָ֑ה שִׁפְטוּ־נָ֕א בֵּינִ֖י וּבֵ֥ין כַּרְמִֽי׃

4 Is there anything which might have been done for my vine-garden which I have not done? why then, when I was hoping for the best grapes did it give me common grapes?

4 מַה־לַּעֲשֹׂ֥ות עֹוד֙ לְכַרְמִ֔י וְלֹ֥א עָשִׂ֖יתִי בֹּ֑ו מַדּ֧וּעַ קִוֵּ֛יתִי לַעֲשֹׂ֥ות עֲנָבִ֖ים וַיַּ֥עַשׂ בְּאֻשִֽׁים׃

5 And now, this is what I will do to my vine-garden: I will take away the circle of thorns round it, and it will be burned up; its wall will be broken down and the beasts of the field will go through it;

5 וְעַתָּה֙ אֹודִֽיעָה־נָּ֣א אֶתְכֶ֔ם אֵ֛ת אֲשֶׁר־אֲנִ֥י עֹשֶׂ֖ה לְכַרְמִ֑י הָסֵ֤ר מְשׂוּכָּתֹו֙ וְהָיָ֣ה לְבָעֵ֔ר פָּרֹ֥ץ גְּדֵרֹ֖ו וְהָיָ֥ה לְמִרְמָֽס׃

6 And I will make it waste; its branches will not be touched with the knife, or the earth worked with the spade; but blackberries and thorns will come up in it: and I will give orders to the clouds not to send rain on it.

6 וַאֲשִׁיתֵ֣הוּ בָתָ֗ה לֹ֤א יִזָּמֵר֙ וְלֹ֣א יֵעָדֵ֔ר וְעָלָ֥ה שָׁמִ֖יר וָשָׁ֑יִת וְעַ֤ל הֶעָבִים֙ אֲצַוֶּ֔ה מֵהַמְטִ֥יר עָלָ֖יו מָטָֽר׃

7 For the vine-garden of the Lord of armies is the people of Israel, and the men of Judah are the plant of his delight: and he was looking for upright judging, and there was blood; for righteousness, and there was a cry for help.

7 כִּ֣י כֶ֜רֶם יְהוָ֤ה צְבָאֹות֙ בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאִ֣ישׁ יְהוּדָ֔ה נְטַ֖ע שַׁעֲשׁוּעָ֑יו וַיְקַ֤ו לְמִשְׁפָּט֙ וְהִנֵּ֣ה מִשְׂפָּ֔ח לִצְדָקָ֖ה וְהִנֵּ֥ה צְעָקָֽה׃

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!

8 הֹ֗וי מַגִּיעֵ֥י בַ֙יִת֙ בְּבַ֔יִת שָׂדֶ֥ה בְשָׂדֶ֖ה יַקְרִ֑יבוּ עַ֚ד אֶ֣פֶס מָקֹ֔ום וְהֽוּשַׁבְתֶּ֥ם לְבַדְּכֶ֖ם בְּקֶ֥רֶב הָאָֽרֶץ׃

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.

9 בְּאָזְנָ֖י יְהוָ֣ה צְבָאֹ֑ות אִם־לֹ֞א בָּתִּ֤ים רַבִּים֙ לְשַׁמָּ֣ה יִֽהְי֔וּ גְּדֹלִ֥ים וְטֹובִ֖ים מֵאֵ֥ין יֹושֵֽׁב׃

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.

10 כִּ֗י עֲשֶׂ֙רֶת֙ צִמְדֵּי־כֶ֔רֶם יַעֲשׂ֖וּ בַּ֣ת אֶחָ֑ת וְזֶ֥רַע חֹ֖מֶר יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה אֵיפָֽה׃

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!

11 הֹ֛וי מַשְׁכִּימֵ֥י בַבֹּ֖קֶר שֵׁכָ֣ר יִרְדֹּ֑פוּ מְאַחֲרֵ֣י בַנֶּ֔שֶׁף יַ֖יִן יַדְלִיקֵֽם׃

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.

12 וְהָיָ֨ה כִנֹּ֜ור וָנֶ֗בֶל תֹּ֧ף וְחָלִ֛יל וָיַ֖יִן מִשְׁתֵּיהֶ֑ם וְאֵ֨ת פֹּ֤עַל יְהוָה֙ לֹ֣א יַבִּ֔יטוּ וּמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יָדָ֖יו לֹ֥א רָאֽוּ׃

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.

13 לָכֵ֛ן גָּלָ֥ה עַמִּ֖י מִבְּלִי־דָ֑עַת וּכְבֹודֹו֙ מְתֵ֣י רָעָ֔ב וַהֲמֹונֹ֖ו צִחֵ֥ה צָמָֽא׃

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.

14 לָכֵ֗ן הִרְחִ֤יבָה שְּׁאֹול֙ נַפְשָׁ֔הּ וּפָעֲרָ֥ה פִ֖יהָ לִבְלִי־חֹ֑ק וְיָרַ֨ד הֲדָרָ֧הּ וַהֲמֹונָ֛הּ וּשְׁאֹונָ֖הּ וְעָלֵ֥ז בָּֽהּ׃

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:

15 וַיִּשַּׁ֥ח אָדָ֖ם וַיִּשְׁפַּל־אִ֑ישׁ וְעֵינֵ֥י גְבֹהִ֖ים תִּשְׁפַּֽלְנָה׃

16 But the Lord of armies is lifted up as judge, and the Holy God is seen to be holy in righteousness.

16 וַיִּגְבַּ֛ה¹ יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֹ֖ות בַּמִּשְׁפָּ֑ט וְהָאֵל֙ הַקָּדֹ֔ושׁ נִקְדָּ֖שׁ בִּצְדָקָֽה׃

17 Then the lambs will get food as in their grass-lands, and the fat cattle will be feasting in the waste places.

17 וְרָע֥וּ כְבָשִׂ֖ים כְּדָבְרָ֑ם וְחָרְבֹ֥ות מֵחִ֖ים גָּרִ֥ים יֹאכֵֽלוּ׃

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!

18 הֹ֛וי מֹשְׁכֵ֥י הֶֽעָוֹ֖ן בְּחַבְלֵ֣י הַשָּׁ֑וְא וְכַעֲבֹ֥ות הָעֲגָלָ֖ה חַטָּאָֽה׃

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.

19 הָאֹמְרִ֗ים יְמַהֵ֧ר׀ יָחִ֛ישָׁה מַעֲשֵׂ֖הוּ לְמַ֣עַן נִרְאֶ֑ה וְתִקְרַ֣ב וְתָבֹ֗ואָה עֲצַ֛ת קְדֹ֥ושׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וְנֵדָֽעָה׃

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!

20 הֹ֣וי הָאֹמְרִ֥ים לָרַ֛ע טֹ֖וב וְלַטֹּ֣וב רָ֑ע שָׂמִ֨ים חֹ֤שֶׁךְ לְאֹור֙ וְאֹ֣ור לְחֹ֔שֶׁךְ שָׂמִ֥ים מַ֛ר לְמָתֹ֖וק וּמָתֹ֥וק לְמָֽר׃

21 Cursed are those who seem wise to themselves, and who take pride in their knowledge!

21 הֹ֖וי חֲכָמִ֣ים בְּעֵֽינֵיהֶ֑ם וְנֶ֥גֶד פְּנֵיהֶ֖ם נְבֹנִֽים׃

22 Cursed are those who are strong to take wine, and great in making mixed drinks!

22 הֹ֕וי גִּבֹּורִ֖ים לִשְׁתֹּ֣ות יָ֑יִן וְאַנְשֵׁי־חַ֖יִל לִמְסֹ֥ךְ שֵׁכָֽר׃

23 Who for a reward give support to the cause of the sinner, and who take away the righteousness of the upright from him.

23 מַצְדִּיקֵ֥י רָשָׁ֖ע עֵ֣קֶב שֹׁ֑חַד וְצִדְקַ֥ת צַדִּיקִ֖ים יָסִ֥ירוּ מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

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.

24 לָכֵן֩ כֶּאֱכֹ֨ל קַ֜שׁ לְשֹׁ֣ון אֵ֗שׁ וַחֲשַׁ֤שׁ לֶֽהָבָה֙ יִרְפֶּ֔ה שָׁרְשָׁם֙ כַּמָּ֣ק יִֽהְיֶ֔ה וּפִרְחָ֖ם כָּאָבָ֣ק יַעֲלֶ֑ה כִּ֣י מָאֲס֗וּ אֵ֚ת תֹּורַת֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָאֹ֔ות וְאֵ֛ת אִמְרַ֥ת קְדֹֽושׁ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל נִאֵֽצוּ׃

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.

25 עַל־כֵּ֡ן חָרָה֩ אַף־יְהוָ֨ה בְּעַמֹּ֜ו וַיֵּ֣ט יָדֹ֧ו עָלָ֣יו וַיַּכֵּ֗הוּ וַֽיִּרְגְּזוּ֙ הֶֽהָרִ֔ים וַתְּהִ֧י נִבְלָתָ֛ם כַּסּוּחָ֖ה בְּקֶ֣רֶב חוּצֹ֑ות בְּכָל־זֹאת֙ לֹא־שָׁ֣ב אַפֹּ֔ו וְעֹ֖וד יָדֹ֥ו נְטוּיָֽה׃

26 And he will let a flag be lifted up as a sign to a far-off nation, whistling to them from the ends of the earth: and they will come quickly and suddenly.

26 וְנָֽשָׂא־נֵ֤ס לַגֹּויִם֙ מֵרָחֹ֔וק וְשָׁ֥רַק לֹ֖ו מִקְצֵ֣ה הָאָ֑רֶץ וְהִנֵּ֥ה מְהֵרָ֖ה קַ֥ל יָבֹֽוא׃

27 There is no weariness among them, and no man is feeble-footed: they come without resting or sleeping, and the cord of their shoes is not broken.

27 אֵין־עָיֵ֤ף וְאֵין־כֹּושֵׁל֙ בֹּ֔ו לֹ֥א יָנ֖וּם וְלֹ֣א יִישָׁ֑ן וְלֹ֤א נִפְתַּח֙ אֵזֹ֣ור חֲלָצָ֔יו וְלֹ֥א נִתַּ֖ק שְׂרֹ֥וךְ נְעָלָֽיו׃

28 Their arrows are sharp, and every bow is bent: the feet of their horses are like rock, and their wheels are like a rushing storm.

28 אֲשֶׁ֤ר חִצָּיו֙ שְׁנוּנִ֔ים וְכָל־קַשְּׁתֹתָ֖יו דְּרֻכֹ֑ות פַּרְסֹ֤ות סוּסָיו֙ כַּצַּ֣ר נֶחְשָׁ֔בוּ וְגַלְגִּלָּ֖יו כַּסּוּפָֽה׃

29 The sound of their armies will be like the voice of a lion, and their war-cry like the noise of young lions: with loud cries they will come down on their food and will take it away safely, and there will be no one to take it out of their hands.

29 שְׁאָגָ֥ה לֹ֖ו כַּלָּבִ֑יא וְשָׁאַג יִשְׁאַ֨ג כַּכְּפִירִ֤ים וְיִנְהֹם֙ וְיֹאחֵ֣ז טֶ֔רֶף וְיַפְלִ֖יט וְאֵ֥ין מַצִּֽיל׃

30 And his voice will be loud over him in that day like the sounding of the sea: and if a man's eyes are turned to the earth, it is all dark and full of trouble; and the light is made dark by thick clouds.

30 וְיִנְהֹ֥ם עָלָ֛יו בַּיֹּ֥ום הַה֖וּא כְּנַהֲמַת־יָ֑ם וְנִבַּ֤ט לָאָ֙רֶץ֙ וְהִנֵּה־חֹ֔שֶׁךְ צַ֣ר וָאֹ֔ור חָשַׁ֖ךְ בַּעֲרִיפֶֽיהָ׃