I have no wrath may be rendered “I am not angry.” The object of possible anger is the vineyard itself, and the reason for any anger is given in 5.1-7, especially verses 2 and 4. Since this is true, Good News Translation translates “I am no longer angry with the vineyard” (similarly Contemporary English Version, Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). New Jerusalem Bible says “I do not have a wall,” but this reading does not have any support in the manuscripts, so Hebrew Old Testament Text Project recommends against it. New English Bible and Revised English Bible understand the Hebrew word for wrath to mean “fiery wine,” so they say “but I get no wine.” They do this to make the LORD’s words here consistent with the parable of 5.1-7, but this is not necessary.

The rest of the verse expresses Yahweh’s longing to combat potential weeds and thorns in the vineyard.

Would that I had thorns and briers to battle!: In Hebrew this sentence begins with an idiomatic expression that expresses a wish or longing. It is literally “Who will give me…?” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “If one offers Me thorns….” Many translations use a natural expression for a wish; for example, New American Bible has “but if I were to find…,” Good News Translation says “If there were…,” and New International Version suggests “If only there were…!” The meaning of this line is that the vineyard is free of weeds, but if the LORD were to find any, he would quickly deal with them. Bible en français courant has “but I warn the thorns and thistles that I might find there!” Then it says the LORD will attack and burn them.

The Hebrew words rendered thorns and briers are translated “briers and thorns” in 5.6. There they are a metaphor for Israel’s enemies who have taken over the vineyard, which represents Israel. The meaning may be the same here, so Yahweh wishes that some enemies were present so that he could defend his people against them. Translators should use the same terms here as in 5.6.

I would set out against them is a figure of speech meaning that Yahweh would march out against these weeds as though marching against an enemy. For set out against, Good News Translation says “fight against” and Bible en français courant has “attack.” The pronoun them is feminine singular in Hebrew, referring to the vineyard, as in verses 2-3. However, here it refers the vineyard overtaken by weeds. Since the attack would actually be against the weeds, the pronoun them is appropriate in this context.

I would burn them up together is the second thing Yahweh would do to these weeds.

Two translation examples for this verse are:

• I am not angry with the vineyard.
If only there were thorns and briers there,
I would march out against them in battle
and burn them all completely.

• I am not angry with the vineyard.
I wish there were some thorns and briers to fight against there,
then I would attack them
and set fire to them all.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Sterk, Jan. A Handbook on Isaiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .