The Holy Bible

2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth!
For the Lord has spoken: “I reared children and brought them up,
but they have rebelled against Me. 3 The ox knows its owner,
and the donkey its master’s feeding-trough; but Israel does not know,
My people do not understand.”

4 Ah, sinful nation,
a people laden with iniquity, the offspring of evildoers,
children given to corruption! They have forsaken the Lord;
they have despised the Holy One of Israel; they have turned their backs on Him.

5 Why should you be beaten anymore?
Why do you continue to rebel? The whole head is sick,
and the whole heart afflicted. 6 From the sole of the foot even to the head,
there is no soundness— only wounds and bruises
and festering sores; they have not been cleansed or bandaged,
or soothed with oil.

7 Your country lies desolate,
your cities are burned with fire. Foreigners devour your fields before your very eyes,
they are laid waste, as when overthrown by strangers. 8 Daughter Zion is abandoned
like a shelter in a vineyard, like a hut in a cucumber field,
like a besieged city.

9 If the Lord of Hosts
had not left us a few survivors, we would have become like Sodom,
we would have been like Gomorrah.

10 Hear the word of the Lord,
you rulers of Sodom! Give ear to the law of our God,
you people of Gomorrah! 11 “What are your sacrifices to Me?”
says the Lord.
“I have had more than enough burnt offerings
of rams and the fat of well-fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls,
or of lambs or male goats.

12 “When you come to appear before Me,
who has required this from your hand, to trample My courts? 13 Stop bringing futile offerings;
incense is offensive to Me. New Moons and Sabbaths,
and the calling of convovations. I cannot endure solemn assemblies with iniquity! 14 I despise your New Moons
and your appointed feasts. they have become a burden to Me,
I am weary of bearing them. 15 When you lift up your hands in prayer,
I will hide My eyes from you; even though you offer many prayers,
I will not listen; for your hands are covered with blood.

16 “Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;
remove the evil of your ways from before My eyes. Stop doing wrong!
17Learn to do what is good. Seek justice, relieve the oppressed; defend the rights of the fatherless,
plead for the widow’s cause.

18 “Come now, let us reason together,”
says the Lord.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson,
they shall become like wool. 19 If you are willing and obedient,
you will eat the good things of the land; 20 but if you refuse and rebel,
you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

The Degenerate City

21 How the faithful city
has become a harlot! She was once full of justice,
righteousness lodged in her— but now murderers. 22 Your silver has become dross,
your best wine is diluted with water. 23 Your princes are rebels,
companions of thieves. They all love bribes
and chase after gifts. They do not defend the fatherless,
and the widow’s case never comes before them.

24 Therefore, the Lord God of Hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, says,

“Ah, I will get relief from My enemies,
and avenge Myself on My foes! 25 I will turn My hand against you,
and thoroughly burn away your dross; I will remove all your impurities. 26 I will restore your judges as they were at first,
and your counsellors as at the beginning. Afterward you will be called the City of Righteousness,
the Faithful City.”

27 Zion shall be redeemed with justice,
her penitent ones with righteousness. 28 But rebels and sinners shall be destroyed together,
and those who forsake the Lord will perish.

29 “You will be ashamed of the sacred oaks
that you have delighted in. You will be disgraced by the gardens
that you have chosen. 30 You will be like an oak whose leaves are withered,
and like a garden without water. 31 The strong will become like tinder,
and their work like a spark; both will burn together,
with no one to quench them.”