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Chapter 5

The Song of the Vineyard[a]

Now let me sing for my beloved
    the song of my friend concerning his vineyard.
My beloved had a vineyard
    on a fertile hillside.
He dug it, cleared it of stones,
    and planted it with choice red vines.
In its midst he built a watchtower
    and also hewed out a winepress.
He expected it to yield a rich crop of grapes,
    but the only thing it brought forth was wild grapes.
And now, inhabitants of Jerusalem and people of Judah,
    I ask you to judge between me and my vineyard.
What more could I have done for my vineyard
    that I did not do?
When I expected it to yield choice grapes,
    why did it bring forth wild grapes?
Now listen to me as I tell you
    what I am planning to do to my vineyard.
I will take away its hedge
    and use it for grazing.
I will knock down its wall
    and let it be trampled upon.
I will let it go to waste;
    it will be neither pruned nor hoed,
    but left overgrown with briars and thorns.
I will also command the clouds
    not to allow any rain to fall upon it.
The vineyard of the Lord of hosts
    is the house of Israel,
and the people of Judah
    are the plant he cherished.
He expected justice but found bloodshed;
    he expected righteousness but heard cries of distress.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 5:1 The image of the beloved vineyard that is ravaged is often used by the prophets (Jer 2:21; Ezek 15:1-8; etc.). Jesus, too, will like this comparison (Mt 21:33-34) and will describe himself as the true vine whose branches will be tended by the vinedresser, his Father (Jn 15).

The Song of the Vineyard

I will sing for the one I love
    a song about his vineyard:(A)
My loved one had a vineyard
    on a fertile hillside.
He dug it up and cleared it of stones
    and planted it with the choicest vines.(B)
He built a watchtower(C) in it
    and cut out a winepress(D) as well.
Then he looked for a crop of good grapes,
    but it yielded only bad fruit.(E)

“Now you dwellers in Jerusalem and people of Judah,
    judge between me and my vineyard.(F)
What more could have been done for my vineyard
    than I have done for it?(G)
When I looked for good grapes,
    why did it yield only bad?(H)
Now 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)
I will break down its wall,(J)
    and it will be trampled.(K)
I will make it a wasteland,(L)
    neither pruned nor cultivated,
    and briers and thorns(M) will grow there.
I will command the clouds
    not to rain(N) on it.”

The vineyard(O) 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,(P) but saw bloodshed;
    for righteousness,(Q) but heard cries of distress.(R)

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