Song of the Vineyard

5 I will sing about the one I love,

a song about my loved one’s vineyard: r

The one I love had a vineyard

on a very fertile hill.

2 He broke up the soil, cleared it of stones,

and planted it with the finest vines. s

He built a tower in the middle of it

and even dug out a winepress there.

He expected t it to yield good grapes,

but it yielded worthless grapes. u

3 So now, residents of Jerusalem

and men of Judah,

please judge between Me

and My vineyard.

4 What more could I have done for My vineyard

than I did? v

Why, when I expected a yield of good grapes,

did it yield worthless grapes?

5 Now I will tell you

what I am about to do to My vineyard:

I will remove its hedge, w

and it will be consumed;

I will tear down its wall, x

and it will be trampled.

6 I will make it a wasteland. y

It will not be pruned or weeded;

thorns and briers will grow up. z

I will also give orders to the clouds

that rain should not fall on it.

7 For the vineyard of the Lord of * Hosts

is the house of Israel, a

and the men b of Judah,

the plant He delighted in.

He looked for justice

but saw injustice,

for righteousness,

but heard cries of wretchedness.