Isaiah 5:12-26

New International Version

¹² They have harps and lyres at their banquets,
    pipes^(A) and timbrels^(B) and wine,
but they have no regard^(C) for the deeds of the Lord,
    no respect for the work of his hands.^(D)
13 Therefore my people will go into exile^(E)
    for lack of understanding;^(F)
those of high rank^(G) will die of hunger
    and the common people will be parched with thirst.^(H)
14 Therefore Death^(I) expands its jaws,
    opening wide its mouth;^(J)
into it will descend their nobles and masses
    with all their brawlers and revelers.^(K)
15 So people will be brought low^(L)
    and everyone humbled,^(M)
    the eyes of the arrogant^(N) humbled.
¹⁶ But the Lord Almighty will be exalted^(O) by his justice,^(P)
    and the holy God will be proved holy^(Q) by his righteous acts.
¹⁷ Then sheep will graze as in their own pasture;^(R)
    lambs will feed^[a] among the ruins of the rich.

¹⁸ Woe^(S) to those who draw sin along with cords^(T) of deceit,
    and wickedness^(U) as with cart ropes,
¹⁹ to those who say, “Let God hurry;
    let him hasten^(V) his work
    so we may see it.
The plan of the Holy One^(W) of Israel—
    let it approach, let it come into view,
    so we may know it.”^(X)

²⁰ Woe^(Y) to those who call evil good^(Z)
    and good evil,^(AA)
who put darkness for light
    and light for darkness,^(AB)
who put bitter for sweet
    and sweet for bitter.^(AC)

²¹ Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes^(AD)
    and clever in their own sight.

²² Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine^(AE)
    and champions at mixing drinks,^(AF)
23 who acquit the guilty for a bribe,^(AG)
    but deny justice^(AH) to the innocent.^(AI)
24 Therefore, as tongues of fire^(AJ) lick up straw^(AK)
    and as dry grass sinks down in the flames,
so their roots will decay^(AL)
    and their flowers blow away like dust;^(AM)
for they have rejected the law of the Lord Almighty
    and spurned the word^(AN) of the Holy One^(AO) of Israel.
²⁵ Therefore the Lord’s anger^(AP) burns against his people;
    his hand is raised and he strikes them down.
The mountains shake,^(AQ)
    and the dead bodies^(AR) are like refuse^(AS) in the streets.^(AT)

Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,^(AU)
    his hand is still upraised.^(AV)

²⁶ He lifts up a banner^(AW) for the distant nations,
    he whistles^(AX) for those at the ends of the earth.^(AY)
Here they come,
    swiftly and speedily!