A reading from the book of Isaiah.

Let me sing for my beloved, my love song concerning his vineyard.

My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill.

He dug it and cleared it of stones and planted it with choice vines.

He built a watchtower in the midst of it and and hewed out a wine-vat in it,

and he looked for it to yield grapes. But it yielded wild grapes. And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem

and men of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard. What more was there to do for my vineyard that I have not done

in it? When I looked for it to yield grapes, why did it yield wild grapes? And now I will tell you

what I will do to my vineyard. I will remove its hedge, and it shall be devoured.

I will break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down.

I will make it a waste.

It shall not be pruned or hoed, and briars and thorns shall grow up.

I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.

For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the House of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant planting,

and he looked for justice, but behold behold bloodshed, for righteousness, but behold an outcry.

Woe to those who join house to house, who add field to field until there is no more room,

and you are made to dwell alone in the midst of the

land.

The Lord of hosts has sworn in my hearing, surely many houses shall be desolate, large and beautiful

houses, without inhabitant, for ten acres of vineyard shall yield but one bath, and

a homer of seed shall yield but an Ipha.

Woe to those who rise early in the morning that they may run after strong drink, who

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