20 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!

21 Woe to those who are (A)wise in their own eyes,
And prudent in their own sight!

22 Woe to men mighty at drinking wine,
Woe to men valiant for mixing intoxicating drink,
23 Who (B)justify the wicked for a bribe,
And take away justice from the righteous man!

24 Therefore, (C)as the [a]fire devours the stubble,
And the flame consumes the chaff,
So (D)their root will be as rottenness,
And their blossom will ascend like dust;
Because they have rejected the law of the Lord of hosts,
And despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 5:24 Lit. tongue of fire

20 Woe(A) to those who call evil good(B)
    and good evil,(C)
who put darkness for light
    and light for darkness,(D)
who put bitter for sweet
    and sweet for bitter.(E)

21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes(F)
    and clever in their own sight.

22 Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine(G)
    and champions at mixing drinks,(H)
23 who acquit the guilty for a bribe,(I)
    but deny justice(J) to the innocent.(K)
24 Therefore, as tongues of fire(L) lick up straw(M)
    and as dry grass sinks down in the flames,
so their roots will decay(N)
    and their flowers blow away like dust;(O)
for they have rejected the law of the Lord Almighty
    and spurned the word(P) of the Holy One(Q) of Israel.

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