CHAPTER 56
1 The Lord saith these things, Keep ye doom, and do ye rightfulness [or rightwiseness], for why mine health is nigh, that it come, and my rightfulness [or rightwiseness], that it be showed.
2 Blessed is the man, that doeth this, and the son of a man, that shall take this; keeping the sabbath, that he defoul not it, keeping his hands, that he do not any evil.
3 And say not the son of a comeling, that cleaveth fast to the Lord, saying, By parting the Lord shall part me from his people; and a gelding, either a chaste man, say not, Lo! I am a dry tree.
4 For the Lord saith these things to geldings, that keep my sabbaths, and choose what things I would, and hold my bond of peace.
5 I shall give to them a place in mine house, and within my walls, and the best name, of sons and daughters; I shall give to them a name everlasting, that shall not perish.
6 And I shall bring in to bless the sons of a comeling, that cleave fast to the Lord, that they worship him, and love his name, that they be to him into servants; each man keeping the sabbath, that he defoul it not, and holding my bond of peace;
7 I shall bring them into mine holy hill, and I shall make them glad in the house of my prayer; their burnt sacrifices and their slain sacrifices shall please me on mine altar; for why mine house shall be called an house of prayer to all peoples,
8 saith the Lord God, that gathereth together the scattered men of Israel. Yet I shall gather together to him all the gathered men thereof.
9 All beasts of the field, come ye to devour, all beasts of the forest.
10 All the beholders thereof be blind, all they knew not; dumb dogs, that may not bark; seeing vain things, sleeping, and loving dreams;
11 and most unshamefast dogs knew not fullness. Those shepherds knew not understanding; all they bowed into their way, each man to his avarice, from the highest till to the last.
12 Come ye, take we wine, and be we filled of drunkenness; and it shall be as today, so and tomorrow, and much more.