2* Hear, O heavens, and listen, O earth,

for the Lord speaks:

Sons have I raised and reared,

but they have rebelled against me!a

3An ox knows its owner,

and an ass,* its master’s manger;

But Israel does not know,

my people has not understood.b

4Ah!* Sinful nation, people laden with wickedness,

evil offspring, corrupt children!

They have forsaken the Lord,

spurned the Holy One of Israel,

apostatized,c

5Why* would you yet be struck,

that you continue to rebel?

The whole head is sick,

the whole heart faint.

6From the sole of the foot to the head

there is no sound spot in it;

Just bruise and welt and oozing wound,

not drained, or bandaged,

or eased with salve.

7Your country is waste,

your cities burnt with fire;

Your land—before your eyes

strangers devour it,

a waste, like the devastation of Sodom.* d

8And daughter Zion* is left

like a hut in a vineyard,

Like a shed in a melon patch,

like a city blockaded.

9If the Lord of hosts* had not

left us a small remnant,

We would have become as Sodom,

would have resembled Gomorrah.e

10* Hear the word of the Lord,

princes of Sodom!

Listen to the instruction of our God,

people of Gomorrah!

11What do I care for the multitude of your sacrifices?

says the Lord.

I have had enough of whole-burnt rams

and fat of fatlings;

In the blood of calves, lambs, and goats

I find no pleasure.f

12When you come to appear before me,

who asks these things of you?

13Trample my courts no more!

To bring offerings is useless;

incense is an abomination to me.

New moon and sabbath, calling assemblies—

festive convocations with wickedness—

these I cannot bear.g

14Your new moons and festivals I detest;h

they weigh me down, I tire of the load.

15When you spread out your hands,

I will close my eyes to you;

Though you pray the more,

I will not listen.

Your hands are full of blood!* i

16Wash yourselves clean!

Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes;

cease doing evil;

17learn to do good.

Make justice your aim: redress the wronged,

hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow.j

18Come now, let us set things right,*

says the Lord:

Though your sins be like scarlet,

they may become white as snow;

Though they be red like crimson,

they may become white as wool.k

19If you are willing, and obey,

you shall eat the good things of the land;

20But if you refuse and resist,

you shall be eaten by the sword:

for the mouth of the Lord has spoken!

21How she has become a prostitute,

the faithful city,* so upright!

Justice used to lodge within her,

but now, murderers.l

22Your silver is turned to dross,

your wine is mixed with water.

23Your princes are rebels

and comrades of thieves;

Each one of them loves a bribe

and looks for gifts.

The fatherless they do not defend,

the widow’s plea does not reach them.m

24Now, therefore, says the Lord,

the Lord of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel:

Ah! I will take vengeance on my foes

and fully repay my enemies!n

25I will turn my hand against you,

and refine your dross in the furnace,

removing all your alloy.

26I will restore your judges* as at first,

and your counselors as in the beginning;

After that you shall be called

city of justice, faithful city.o

27* Zion shall be redeemed by justice,

and her repentant ones by righteousness.

28Rebels and sinners together shall be crushed,

those who desert the Lord shall be consumed.

29* You shall be ashamed of the terebinths which you desired,

and blush on account of the gardens which you chose.

30You shall become like a terebinth whose leaves wither,

like a garden that has no water.

31The strong tree shall turn to tinder,

and the one who tends it shall become a spark;

Both of them shall burn together,

and there shall be none to quench them.