Isaiah 5:18–23

Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of falsehood,

who draw sin as with cart ropes,

who say: “Let him be quick,

let him speed his work

that we may see it;

let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near,

and let it come, that we may know it!”

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!

Woe to those who draw sin along with cords of deceit,

and wickedness as with cart ropes,

to those who say, “Let God hurry;

let him hasten his work

so we may see it.

The plan of the Holy One of Israel—

let it approach, let it come into view,

so we may know it.”

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.

Woe to those who drag iniquity

with cords of deceit

and pull sin along with cart ropes,

to those who say,

“Let him hurry up and do his work quickly

so that we can see it!

Let the plan of the Holy One of Israel take place

so that we can know it!”

Woe to those who call evil good

and good evil,

who substitute darkness for light

and light for darkness,

who substitute bitter for sweet

and sweet for bitter.

Woe to those who consider themselves wise

and judge themselves clever.

Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine,

who are champions at pouring beer,

who acquit the guilty for a bribe

and deprive the innocent of justice.

What sorrow for those who drag their sins behind them

with ropes made of lies,

who drag wickedness behind them like a cart!

They even mock God and say,

“Hurry up and do something!

We want to see what you can do.

Let the Holy One of Israel carry out his plan,

for we want to know what it is.”

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.

Ah! Those who drag iniquity along with the cords of falsehood

and sin as with rope of the cart,

those who say,

“Let him make haste;

let him hurry his work

so that we may see it

and let it draw near

and let the plan of the holy one of Israel come

so that we may know it!”

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.

Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity,

And sin as it were with a cart rope:

That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work,

That we may see it:

And let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come,

That we may know it!

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!