They have lyre and harp, timbrel and flute and wine at their feasts: Four kinds of musical instrument are found at the drunkards’ feasts. The purpose of this list is to evoke the atmosphere of drunken merrymaking at these feasts. There is a lot of music and presumably singing. In other contexts enjoying music would not be considered wrong, but in this context of drinking it is being condemned because the revelers do not think of the LORD. It is not clear whether these people actually play the instruments mentioned or whether they simply enjoy listening to others playing them.

The first two instruments mentioned had tightly drawn strings that gave a sound when plucked with the fingers. The strings of the lyre were almost all of the same length while those of the harp (which was smaller than a modern harp) were of different lengths. The harp was often crescent shaped. For these two musical instruments translators may take the names of comparable string instruments that are known to their readers.

The timbrel was like a tambourine. It was a small, flat instrument that was round. It was beaten with the hand. For translation a general term referring to a small drum, a beaded calabash, or some similar drumming instrument is good. The flute was a wind instrument with two pipes, not one. It could be made from hollowed wood, a reed, or a bone. Translators may find equivalents for these two instruments in the receptor language.

Some translators may find it difficult to find exact equivalents for all four instruments. They may use the names of instruments known locally. They may even use less than four instruments, or they may describe the scene in a general way; for example, these two lines may be rendered “They make beautiful music [or, play various instruments] at their feasts.” Translators should not use elaborate descriptions for these instruments since this will distract their readers from Isaiah’s main message.

The Hebrew word rendered feasts refers to secular parties or banquets, not to religious ones. The phrase at their feasts may be put first in the sentence if that is more natural in translation. We may also say “while they are feasting.”

But they do not regard the deeds of the LORD. The drunkards have little concern for (do not regard) what Yahweh has done. All they care about is their own pleasure. The deeds of the LORD are not defined in any specific way, so they refer generally to his work. This line may be rendered “but they do not care about what Yahweh has done”

Or see the work of his hands is parallel to the previous line. It uses the verb see in the sense of taking notice of and caring about. Of course, they can see what Yahweh has done, but they do not take it into account in their lives. The phrase the work of his hands could have a general meaning, making it synonymous with the deeds of the LORD, or it could refer more specifically to Yahweh’s creative activity (see Psa 28.5). Though they are surrounded by evidence of what Yahweh has created, they do not appreciate it. Their own pleasure is more important to them.

Translation examples for this verse are:

• They play the lyre and harp, the tambourine and flute
while they drink wine at their feasts;
but they care nothing for what Yahweh has done,
they do not appreciate what he has made.

• At their feasts is music from lyres and harps,
tambourines and flutes,
they enjoy their wine;
but they do not value what Yahweh has done,
they do not appreciate what he has created.

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 .