This verse identifies two groups of people: those who make unjust decrees and those who write oppressive laws. These two descriptions refer to the same people. Although they are probably the judges in courts of law, the group is not defined more closely; it is mainly the context that determines their identity.

Woe to …: For Woe see the comments on 3.9 and 5.8. In the Hebrew text the word for Woe is always followed by a participle that describes those who are the target of the oracle. Here there are two participles, which are rendered those who decree and the writers. Iniquitous decrees means their laws are a source of trouble and suffering. For those who decree iniquitous decrees, New Jerusalem Bible has “those who enact unjust decrees,” which hints not only at the writing of these unjust laws, but also at their application. Another possible model is “those who make evil laws.”

The writers who keep writing oppression may refer to those who write the same kind of laws as referred to in the first line, or perhaps to those who issue dishonest bills and other documents related to trading. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “compose iniquitous documents,” but the majority of versions refer clearly to oppressive legislation (so New Jerusalem Bible, New International Version). Translators may need to clarify the term writers by naming the type of document that is being written: laws, decrees, rulings. Keep writing is better rendered “write” or “have written.” Writing oppression refers to laws or documents that are used as means to oppress people, allowing those who are unjust to take advantage of others (see verse 2).

Good News Translation has collapsed the description of the two classes of unjust people into one clause. It also has changed the pronoun reference for these people from third person (Woe to those who …) to second person (“You are doomed! You make…”). This prepares the reader for the pronoun switch in verse 3|prj:GNTD.Isa 10.3, where the Hebrew uses second person plural pronouns. Both options are valid and may be useful models for translators.

Translation examples for this verse are:

• Woe to those who make unjust decrees and who write oppressive laws….

• Alas for those who make unjust decrees and write documents that oppress people….

• How terrible it will be for those who make unjust judgments and who write laws that oppress people….

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 .