The Song of the Vineyard
1I will sing a song for the Lord.
He is the one I love.
It’s a song about his vineyard Israel.
The one I love had a vineyard.
It was on a hillside that had rich soil.
2He dug up the soil and removed its stones.
He planted the very best vines in it.
He built a lookout tower there.
He also cut out a winepress for it.
Then he kept looking for a crop of good grapes.
But the vineyard produced only bad fruit.
3So the Lord said, “People of Jerusalem and Judah,
you be the judge between me and my vineyard.
4What more could I have done for my vineyard?
I did everything I could.
I kept looking for a crop of good grapes.
So why did it produce only bad ones?
5Now I will tell you
what I am going to do to my vineyard.
I will take away its fence.
And the vineyard will be destroyed.
I will break down its wall.
And people will walk all over my vineyard.
6I will turn my vineyard into a dry and empty desert.
It will not be pruned or taken care of.
Thorns and bushes will grow there.
I will command the clouds
not to rain on it.”
7The vineyard of the Lord who rules over all
is the nation of Israel.
The people of Judah
are the vines he took delight in.
He kept looking for them to do what is fair.
But all he saw was blood being spilled.
He kept looking for them to do what is right.
But all he heard were cries of suffering.
The Lord Judges His Vineyard
8How terrible it will be for you who get too many houses!
How terrible for you who get too many fields!
Finally there won’t be any space left in the land.
Then you will live all alone.
9I heard the Lord who rules over all announce a message. He said,
“You can be sure that the great houses will become empty.
The fine homes will be left with no one living in them.
10A ten-acre vineyard will produce only six gallons of wine.
360 pounds of seeds will produce only 36 pounds of grain.”
11How terrible it will be for those who get up early in the morning
to start drinking!
How terrible for those who stay up late at night
until they are drunk with wine!
12They have harps and lyres at their banquets.
They have tambourines, flutes and wine.
But they don’t have any concern for the mighty acts of the Lord.
They don’t have any respect for what his power has done.
13So my people will be taken away as prisoners.
That’s because they don’t understand what the Lord has done.
Their nobles will die of hunger.
The rest of the people won’t have any water to drink.
14So Death opens its jaws to receive them.
Its mouth is open wide to swallow them up.
Their nobles and the rest of the people will go down into it.
They will go there together with all those who have wild parties.
15So people will be brought low.
Everyone will be made humble.
Those who brag will be brought down.
16But the Lord who rules over all will be honored
because he judges fairly.
The holy God will prove that he is holy
by doing what is right.
17Then sheep will graze as if they were in their own grasslands.
Lambs will eat grass among the destroyed buildings
where rich people used to live.
18How terrible it will be for those who continue to sin
and lie about it!
How terrible for those who keep on doing what is evil
as if they were tied to it!
19How terrible for those who say,
“Let God hurry up and do what he says he will.
We want to see it happen.
Let us see the plan of the Holy One of Israel.
We want to know what it is.”
20How terrible it will be for those who say
that what is evil is good!
How terrible for those who say
that what is good is evil!
How terrible for those who say
that darkness is light
and light is darkness!
How terrible for those who say
that what is bitter is sweet
and what is sweet is bitter!
21How terrible it will be for those who think they are wise!
How terrible for those who think they are really clever!
22How terrible it will be for those
who are heroes at drinking wine!
How terrible for those
who are heroes at mixing drinks!
23How terrible for those
who take money to set guilty people free!
How terrible for those
who don’t treat good people fairly!
24Flames of fire burn up straw.
Dry grass sinks down into those flames.
Evil people will be like plants whose roots rot away.
They will be like flowers that are blown away like dust.
That’s because they have said no to the law of the Lord who rules over all.
They have turned against the message of the Holy One of Israel.
25So the Lord is angry with his people.
He raises his hand against them and strikes them down.
The mountains shake.
The bodies of dead people lie in the streets like trash.
Even then, the Lord is still angry.
His hand is still raised against them.
26He lifts up a banner to gather the nations that are far away.
He whistles for them to come
from the farthest places on earth.
Here they come.
They are moving very quickly.
27None of them grows tired.
None of them falls down.
None of them sleeps or even takes a nap.
All of them are ready for battle.
Every belt is pulled tight.
Not a single sandal strap is broken.
28The enemies’ arrows are sharp.
All their bows are ready.
The hooves of their horses are as hard as rock.
Their chariot wheels turn like a twister.
29The sound of their army is like the roar of lions.
It’s like the roar of young lions.
They growl as they capture what they were chasing.
They carry it off.
No one can take it away from them.
30At that time the enemy army will roar over Israel.
It will sound like the roaring of the ocean.
If someone looks at the land of Israel,
there is only darkness and trouble.
The clouds will make even the sun become dark.
Rwĩmbo rwa Mũgũnda wa Mĩthabibũ
15:1 Thab 80:8-9; Joh 15:1Nĩngũinĩra mwendwa wakwa ũrĩa nyendete rwĩmbo,
ndĩmũinĩre rwĩmbo rũkoniĩ mũgũnda wake wa mĩthabibũ:
Mwendwa wakwa aarĩ na mũgũnda wa mĩthabibũ
kĩrĩma-inĩ handũ hanoru mũno.
25:2 Thaam 15:17; Luk 13:6Akĩũthiũrũrũkĩria na mũtaro,
na akĩũngania mahiga marĩa mothe maarĩ kuo akĩmate,
agĩcooka akĩũhaanda mĩthabibũ ĩrĩa mĩega mũno.
Nĩaakire mũthiringo mũraihu na igũrũ kũu thĩinĩ waguo,
o na ningĩ akĩenja handũ ha kũhihagĩra thabibũ.
Nake agĩeterera ũciare thabibũ njega,
no rĩrĩ, waciarire thabibũ cia gĩthaka.
35:3 Math 21:40“Atĩrĩrĩ, inyuĩ andũ aya mũtũũraga Jerusalemu o na andũ a Juda,
tũtuithaniei ciira, niĩ na mũgũnda wakwa wa mĩthabibũ.
45:4 2Maũ 36:15; Math 23:37Nĩ ũndũ ũrĩkũ ũngĩ ingĩekire mũgũnda ũcio wakwa wa mĩthabibũ
gũkĩra ũguo ndawĩkire?
Waciarire thabibũ cia gĩthaka nĩkĩ,
o hĩndĩ ĩrĩa ndetereire ũciare thabibũ njega?
55:5 Thab 80:12; Luk 21:24Atĩrĩrĩ, nĩngũmwĩra ũrĩa ngwĩka
mũgũnda ũcio wakwa wa mĩthabibũ:
Nĩngũwehereria rũgiri rwaguo,
nĩguo wanangwo,
njooke momore rũthingo rwaguo,
nĩguo ũrangĩrĩrio.
6Ndĩũtiganĩrie wanangĩke,
ũtegũcehwo kana kũrĩmwo,
naguo ũrĩmeraga congʼe na mĩigua.
Ningĩ njathe matu matikanaurĩrie mbura.”
75:7 Thab 80:8; Ezek 9:9Mũgũnda wa mĩthabibũ wa Jehova Mwene-Hinya-Wothe
nĩguo nyũmba ya Isiraeli,
nao andũ a Juda
nĩo mũgũnda wake wa mĩthabibũ ũrĩa akenagĩra.
Nake eethire ciira wa kĩhooto, akĩona o ũiti wa thakame;
agĩcaria ũthingu, no akĩigua kĩrĩro kĩa mĩnyamaro.
Haaro na Gũtuĩrwo Ciira
85:8 Jer 22:13; Mik 2:2Kaĩ, inyuĩ arĩa mũikaraga mũkĩĩongagĩrĩra nyũmba mũrĩ na haro-ĩ!
O inyuĩ mũnyiitithanagia gĩthaka kĩmwe na kĩrĩa kĩngĩ gĩgatuĩka kĩmwe,
nginya hakaaga handũ ha gũtigĩria andũ arĩa angĩ,
nĩguo mũtũũre bũrũri-inĩ mũrĩ inyuiki.
95:9 Isa 22:14; Math 23:38Jehova Mwene-Hinya-Wothe oigĩte atĩrĩ ngĩiguaga:
“Ti-itherũ nyũmba iria nene nĩigakira ihooru,
nacio nyũmba iria thaka ciage andũ a gũciikara.
10Mũgũnda wa ĩĩka ikũmi wa mĩthabibũ ũkaaruta bathi ĩmwe5:10 nĩ ta lita 22 ya ndibei,
nayo homeri ĩmwe5:10 nĩ ta lita 220 ya mbegũ yume eba ĩmwe5:10 nĩ ta lita 22 ya ngano.”
115:11 1Sam 25:36; Thim 23:29-30Kaĩ arĩa marokaga gũũkĩra rũciinĩ tene,
makahangʼĩre njoohi marĩ na haaro-ĩ!
o acio maikaraga thĩ ũtukũ gũgakũra,
nginya makarĩĩo nĩ ndibei.
125:12 Ayub 21:12; Thab 28:5Maruga-inĩ mao makoragwo na inanda cia mũgeeto,
na cia inubi na tũhembe, na mĩtũrirũ, o na ndibei,
no matirũmbũyagia ciĩko cia Jehova,
na makaagĩra wĩra wa moko make gĩtĩĩo.
135:13 Thim 10:21; Ayub 22:8Nĩ ũndũ ũcio andũ akwa nĩmagatahwo matwarwo bũrũri ũngĩ
nĩ ũndũ wa kwaga ũmenyo;
andũ ao arĩa atĩĩku magaakua nĩ ngʼaragu,
nakĩo kĩrĩndĩ kĩao kĩhooteke nĩ nyoota.
145:14 Ndar 16:30; Isa 22:2, 13Nĩ ũndũ ũcio mbĩrĩra nĩĩnenehetie thuti nĩ ũndũ wao,
na ĩgaathamia kanua kayo gatarĩ gĩturi;
kũu nĩkuo gũkaaharũrũka andũ ao arĩa marĩ igweta na ikundi cia andũ,
hamwe na andũ arĩa manyuuaga makanegena, o na arĩĩu.
155:15 Isa 2:9Nĩ ũndũ ũcio mũndũ nĩakaharũrũkio,
nakĩo kĩrĩndĩ gĩconorithio,
namo maitho ma arĩa etĩĩi maconorithio.
165:16 Thab 97:9; Alaw 10:3No Jehova Mwene-Hinya-Wothe nĩagatũũgĩrio nĩ ũndũ wa ciira wake wa kĩhooto,
nake Mũrungu, o we ũcio mũtheru, nĩakeyonania nĩ mũtheru na ũndũ wa ũthingu wake.
17Hĩndĩ ĩyo ngʼondu ikaarĩĩaga ta irĩ ũrĩithio-inĩ wacio;
natuo tũgondu tũkaarĩithagio kũndũ kũrĩa kwanangĩku gwa itonga.
185:18 Isa 59:4-8; Jer 23:14Kaĩ arĩa maguucagia mehia na mĩhĩndo ya maheeni marĩ na haaro-ĩ!
o acio maguucagia waganu na mĩkanda ta ĩrĩa ĩguucagia ngaari cia ngʼombe,
195:19 Ezek 12:22; 2Pet 3:4o acio moigaga atĩrĩ, “Ngai nĩahiũhe oke,
nĩahĩke wĩra wake nĩguo tũwone.
Nĩũkuhĩrĩrie,
mũbango wa Ũrĩa Mũtheru wa Isiraeli nĩũũke,
nĩguo tũũmenye.”
205:20 Math 6:22-23; Amos 5:7Kaĩ arĩa metaga ũũru wega,
naguo wega makawĩta ũũru marĩ na haaro-ĩ!
o acio matuaga nduma nĩyo ũtheri, na ũtheri makaũtua nduma,
na magatua kĩndũ kĩrũrũ nĩ kĩrĩ mũrĩo,
nakĩo kĩndũ kĩrĩa kĩrĩ mũrĩo magagĩtua nĩ kĩrũrũ.
215:21 Arom 12:16; 1Akor 3:18-20Hĩ! Kaĩ arĩa meyonaga marĩ oogĩ maitho-inĩ mao,
na makeyona marĩ na ũmenyi marĩ na haaro-ĩ!
225:22 1Sam 25:36; Thim 31:4Hĩ! Kaĩ andũ arĩa marĩ ngumo ya kũnyua ndibei,
na njoorua cia kũriingia indo cia gũtũma andũ marĩĩo marĩ na haaro-ĩ!
235:23 Thab 94:21; Jak 5:6o arĩa marekagĩrĩria andũ arĩa mehĩtie nĩ ũndũ wa ihaki,
no makarega gũtua ciira wa kĩhooto wa andũ arĩa matehĩtie.
245:24 2Ath 19:30; Ayub 18:16Nĩ ũndũ ũcio, o ta ũrĩa nĩnĩmbĩ cia mwaki icinaga itira cia mũgũnda,
na ta ũrĩa nyeki nyũmũ ĩniinũkagio nĩ rũrĩrĩmbĩ rwa mwaki-rĩ,
ũguo noguo mĩri yao ĩkaabutha,
na kĩro kĩao kĩũmbũrwo o ta rũkũngũ;
nĩgũkorwo nĩmaregete watho wa Jehova Mwene-Hinya-Wothe,
na makamena kiugo kĩa Ũrĩa Mũtheru wa Isiraeli.
255:25 2Ath 22:13; Isa 9:12Nĩ ũndũ ũcio marakara ma Jehova maakanĩte mookĩrĩre andũ ake;
nake nĩatambũrũkĩtie guoko amagũthe magũe thĩ.
Irĩma nacio igathingitha,
nacio ciimba ciao ikaaraganio njĩra-inĩ ta mahuti.
No o na kũrĩ ũguo-rĩ, marakara make matirĩ maraahũahũa,
guoko gwake no gũtambũrũkĩtio o na rĩu.
265:26 Isa 7:18; Gũcook 28:49Nake ahaicĩtie bendera handũ igũrũ eete ndũrĩrĩ iria irĩ kũraya,
nao arĩa marĩ ituri cia thĩ ahuhaga biringi akĩmeeta.5:26 Ashuri na Babuloni nĩcio ndũrĩrĩ icio igwetetwo.
Nĩo aya mokĩte,
matengʼerete na ihenya.
27Gũtirĩ o na ũmwe wao ũraanoga kana akahĩngwo,
gũtirĩ o na ũmwe ũracũũnga kana agakoma;
gũtirĩ ũraregeria mũcibi njohero,
o na gũtirĩ rũrigi rwa kĩraatũ rũtuĩkĩte.
28Mĩguĩ yao nĩ mĩũgĩ,
namo mota mao mothe nĩmageete;
mahũngũ ma mbarathi ciao mahaana ta ihiga rĩa nyaigĩ,
namo magũrũ ma ngaari ciao cia ita mathiiaga ta rũhuho.
295:29 Jer 51:38; Zek 11:3Mũraramo wao nĩ ta wa mũrũũthi,
nao mararamaga o ta njaũ cia mĩrũũthi;
marurumaga makĩnyiita ũguĩmi wao,
na makaũkuua na gũtirĩ ũngĩũteithũra.
30Mũthenya ũcio makaararama nĩ ũndũ wa kĩrĩa manyiitĩte,
o ta ũrĩa iria rĩrurumaga rĩgĩikia ndiihũ.
Na mũndũ angĩgaacũthĩrĩria bũrũri-inĩ,
akoona no nduma ĩrĩ kuo na mĩnyamaro,
o naguo ũtheri nĩũgaathiĩkwo nĩ matu.
