Isaiah 5:20–24

Woe 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!

Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes,

and shrewd in their own sight!

Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine,

and valiant men in mixing strong drink,

who acquit the guilty for a bribe,

and deprive the innocent of his right!

Therefore, as the tongue of fire devours the stubble,

and as dry grass sinks down in the flame,

so their root will be as rottenness,

and their blossom go up like dust;

for they have rejected the law of the Lord of hosts,

and have despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.

Woe 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.

Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes

and clever in their own sight.

Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine

and champions at mixing drinks,

who acquit the guilty for a bribe,

but deny justice to the innocent.

Therefore, 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.

What sorrow for those who say

that evil is good and good is evil,

that dark is light and light is dark,

that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter.

What sorrow for those who are wise in their own eyes

and think themselves so clever.

What sorrow for those who are heroes at drinking wine

and boast about all the alcohol they can hold.

They take bribes to let the wicked go free,

and they punish the innocent.

Therefore, just as fire licks up stubble

and dry grass shrivels in the flame,

so their roots will rot

and their flowers wither.

For they have rejected the law of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies;

they have despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.

Ah! Those who call evil good and good evil,

those who put darkness for light and light for darkness,

those who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!

Ah! Those who are wise in their own eyes

and have understanding in their view!

Ah! Heroes at drinking wine,

and men of capability at mixing strong drink!

Those who acquit the guilty because of a bribe

and remove the justice of the innocent from him.

Therefore as the tongue of fire devours the stubble,

and dry grass sinks down in the flame,

so their root will become like the stench,

and their blossom will go up like the dust.

For they have rejected the instruction of Yahweh of hosts,

and they have treated the word of the holy one of Israel with contempt.

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil;

That put darkness for light, and light for darkness;

That put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes,

And prudent in their own sight!

Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine,

And men of strength to mingle strong drink:

Which justify the wicked for reward,

And take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!

Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble,

And the flame consumeth the chaff,

So their root shall be as rottenness,

And their blossom shall go up as dust:

Because they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts,

And despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.