Isaiah 5:11-23

International Standard Version

¹¹ “How terrible it will be for those who rise at dawn
    in order to grab^[a] a stiff drink,
for those who stay up late at night
    as wine inflames them!
¹² They have the lyre and harp,
    the tambourine and flute,
        as well as wine at their festivals,
but they don’t respect what the Lord is doing,
    nor do they consider his actions.^[b]
13 Therefore my people go into exile
    because they lack understanding;
my^[c] honored men go hungry,
    and the crowd is parched with thirst.
¹⁴ Therefore Sheol’s^[d] appetite has grown;
    it has opened its mouth beyond limit.
Jerusalem’s nobility and her multitudes will go there,
    along with her brawlers and whoever is reveling within her.
¹⁵ Humanity is brought low,
    and each one is humbled,
        while the eyes of the self-exalting are brought low.

¹⁸ “How terrible it will be for those who parade iniquity with cords of falsehood,
    who draw sin along as^[e] with a cart rope;
¹⁹ who say: ‘Let God^[f] be quick,
    let him speed up^[g] his work
        so we may see it!
Let it happen!
    let the plan of the Holy One of Israel draw near,
        so we may recognize it!’”

²⁰ “How terrible it will be for those who call evil good
    and good evil,
who substitute darkness for light
    and light for darkness,
who substitute what is bitter for what is sweet
    and what is sweet for what is bitter!”

²¹ “How terrible it will be for those who are wise in their own opinion,
    and clever in their own reckoning!