if you had a vineyard on a fruitful hill and you fenced it and cleared it of all stones yountil you planted it with the choicest of vine and you even built a tower and a press to make wine and you looked that it would bring forth sweet grapes and it gave only wild grapes what would you say jerusalem and judah you be the judges i pray between me and my vineyard this is what god says what more could i have done in it that i did not do in it why when i ask it for sweetness it brings only bitterness for the vineyard of the lord of hosts is the house of israel and the men of judah his pleasant plant and he looks for justice but beholds oppression and he hopes for equality but hears a cry jerusalem and judah this is god s reply sadness will come to those who build house to house and lay field to field til there s room for none but you to dwell in the land oh in the land and sadness will come to those who call evil good and good evil who present darkness as light and light as darkness who present as sweetness only the things which are bitterness for the vineyard of the lord of hosts is the house of israel and the men of judah his pleasant plant oh oh his pleasant plant oh that my eyes were a fountain of tears that i might weep for my poor people for every boot stamped with fierceness for every cloak rolled in blood jerusalem and judah i d cry if i could