The song of the vineyard
1I will sing for the one I love
a song about his vineyard:
my loved one had a vineyard
on a fertile hillside.
2He dug it up and cleared it of stones
and planted it with the choicest vines.
He built a watchtower in it
and cut out a winepress as well.
Then he looked for a crop of good grapes,
but it yielded only bad fruit.
3‘Now you dwellers in Jerusalem and people of Judah,
judge between me and my vineyard.
4What more could have been done for my vineyard
than I have done for it?
When I looked for good grapes,
why did it yield only bad?
5Now I will tell you
what I am going to do to my vineyard:
I will take away its hedge,
and it will be destroyed;
I will break down its wall,
and it will be trampled.
6I will make it a wasteland,
neither pruned nor cultivated,
and briers and thorns will grow there.
I will command the clouds
not to rain on it.’
7The vineyard of the Lord Almighty
is the nation of Israel,
and the people of Judah
are the vines he delighted in.
And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed;
for righteousness, but heard cries of distress.
Woes and judgments
8Woe to you who add house to house
and join field to field
till no space is left
and you live alone in the land.
9The Lord Almighty has declared in my hearing:
‘Surely the great houses will become desolate,
the fine mansions left without occupants.
10A ten-acre vineyard will produce only a bath5:10 That is, about 22 litres of wine;
a homer5:10 That is, probably about 160 kilograms of seed will yield only an ephah5:10 That is, probably about 16 kilograms of grain.’
11Woe to those who rise early in the morning
to run after their drinks,
who stay up late at night
till they are inflamed with wine.
12They have harps and lyres at their banquets,
pipes and tambourines and wine,
but they have no regard for the deeds of the Lord,
no respect for the work of his hands.
13Therefore my people will go into exile
for lack of understanding;
those of high rank will die of hunger
and the common people will be parched with thirst.
14Therefore Death expands its jaws,
opening wide its mouth;
into it will descend their nobles and masses
with all their brawlers and revellers.
15So people will be brought low
and everyone humbled,
the eyes of the arrogant humbled.
16But the Lord Almighty will be exalted by his justice,
and the holy God will be proved holy by his righteous acts.
17Then sheep will graze as in their own pasture;
lambs will feed5:17 Septuagint; Hebrew / strangers will eat among the ruins of the rich.
18Woe to those who draw sin along with cords of deceit,
and wickedness as with cart ropes,
19to those who say, ‘Let God hurry;
let him hasten his work
so that we may see it.
The plan of the Holy One of Israel –
let it approach, let it come into view,
so that we may know it.’
20Woe to those who call evil good
and good evil,
who put darkness for light
and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
and sweet for bitter.
21Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes
and clever in their own sight.
22Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine
and champions at mixing drinks,
23who acquit the guilty for a bribe,
but deny justice to the innocent.
24Therefore, as tongues of fire lick up straw
and as dry grass sinks down in the flames,
so their roots will decay
and their flowers blow away like dust;
for they have rejected the law of the Lord Almighty
and spurned the word of the Holy One of Israel.
25Therefore the Lord’s anger burns against his people;
his hand is raised and he strikes them down.
The mountains shake,
and the dead bodies are like refuse in the streets.
Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
his hand is still upraised.
26He lifts up a banner for the distant nations,
he whistles for those at the ends of the earth.
Here they come,
swiftly and speedily!
27Not one of them grows tired or stumbles,
not one slumbers or sleeps;
not a belt is loosened at the waist,
not a sandal strap is broken.
28Their arrows are sharp,
all their bows are strung;
their horses’ hooves seem like flint,
their chariot wheels like a whirlwind.
29Their roar is like that of the lion,
they roar like young lions;
they growl as they seize their prey
and carry it off with no-one to rescue.
30In that day they will roar over it
like the roaring of the sea.
And if one looks at the land,
there is only darkness and distress;
even the sun will be darkened by clouds.
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.
