The Song of the Vineyard

5 Let me sing for my beloved

a song of my love concerning his vineyard:

⌊My beloved had a vineyard⌋a on ⌊a fertile hill⌋.b

2 And he dug it and cleared it of stones,

and he planted it with choice vines,c

and he built a watchtower in the middle of it,

and he even hewed out a wine vat in it,

and he waited for it to yield grapes—

but it yielded wild grapes.

3 And now, inhabitants of Jerusalem

and mend of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard.

4 What more was there to do for my vineyard that I have not done in it?

Why did I hope for it to yield grapes, and it yielded wild grapes?

5 And now let me tell you what I myself am about to do to my vineyard.

I will remove its hedge, and it shall become a devastation.

I will break down its wall, and it shall become a trampling.

6 And I will make it a wasteland;

it shall not be pruned and hoed,

and it shall be overgrown with brierse and thornbushes.f

And concerning the clouds, I will command ⌊them not to send⌋g rain down upon it.

7 For the vineyard of Yahweh of hosts is the house of Israel,

and the manh of Judah is the plantation of his delight.

And he waited for justice,i

but look! Bloodshed!j

For righteousness,k

but look! A cry of distress!l