Isaiah 5:11–15

Woe to those who rise early in the morning,

that they may run after strong drink,

who tarry late into the evening

as wine inflames them!

They have lyre and harp,

tambourine and flute and wine at their feasts,

but they do not regard the deeds of the Lord,

or see the work of his hands.

Therefore my people go into exile

for lack of knowledge;

their honored men go hungry,

and their multitude is parched with thirst.

Therefore Sheol has enlarged its appetite

and opened its mouth beyond measure,

and the nobility of Jerusalem and her multitude will go down,

her revelers and he who exults in her.

Man is humbled, and each one is brought low,

and the eyes of the haughty are brought low.

Woe to those who rise early in the morning

to run after their drinks,

who stay up late at night

till they are inflamed with wine.

They have harps and lyres at their banquets,

pipes and timbrels and wine,

but they have no regard for the deeds of the Lord,

no respect for the work of his hands.

Therefore my people will go into exile

for lack of understanding;

those of high rank will die of hunger

and the common people will be parched with thirst.

Therefore Death expands its jaws,

opening wide its mouth;

into it will descend their nobles and masses

with all their brawlers and revelers.

So people will be brought low

and everyone humbled,

the eyes of the arrogant humbled.

Woe to those who rise early in the morning

in pursuit of beer,

who linger into the evening,

inflamed by wine.

At their feasts they have lyre, harp,

tambourine, flute, and wine.

They do not perceive the Lord’s actions,

and they do not see the work of his hands.

Therefore my people will go into exile

because they lack knowledge;

her dignitaries are starving,

and her masses are parched with thirst.

Therefore Sheol enlarges its throat

and opens wide its enormous jaws,

and down go Zion’s dignitaries, her masses,

her crowds, and those who celebrate in her!

Humanity is brought low, each person is humbled,

and haughty eyes are humbled.

What sorrow for those who get up early in the morning

looking for a drink of alcohol

and spend long evenings drinking wine

to make themselves flaming drunk.

They furnish wine and lovely music at their grand parties—

lyre and harp, tambourine and flute—

but they never think about the Lord

or notice what he is doing.

So my people will go into exile far away

because they do not know me.

Those who are great and honored will starve,

and the common people will die of thirst.

The grave is licking its lips in anticipation,

opening its mouth wide.

The great and the lowly

and all the drunken mob will be swallowed up.

Humanity will be destroyed, and people brought down;

even the arrogant will lower their eyes in humiliation.

Ah! Those who rise early in the morning,

they pursue strong drink.

Those who linger in the evening,

wine inflames them.

And there will be lyre and harp,

tambourine and flute,

and wine at their feasts,

but they do not look at the deeds of Yahweh,

and they do not see the work of his hands.

Therefore my people will go into exile without knowledge,

and their nobles will be men of hunger,

and their multitude is parched with thirst.

Therefore Sheol has enlarged its throat,

and it has opened wide its mouth without limit,

and her nobles will go down, and her multitude,

her tumult and those who revel in her.

And humankind is bowed down,

and man is brought low,

and the eyes of the haughty are humiliated.

Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink;

That continue until night, till wine inflame them!

And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe,

And wine, are in their feasts:

But they regard not the work of the Lord,

Neither consider the operation of his hands.

Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge:

And their honourable men are famished,

And their multitude dried up with thirst.

Therefore hell hath enlarged herself,

And opened her mouth without measure:

And their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp,

And he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.

And the mean man shall be brought down,

And the mighty man shall be humbled,

And the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled: