Isaiah 1:4-25

⁴Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that corrupt themselves! They have forsaken Jehovah; they have despised the Holy One of Israel; they are turned away backward.

⁵Why should ye be smitten any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.

⁶From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in him; wounds, and weals, and open sores: they have not been dressed, nor bound up, nor mollified with oil.

⁷Your country is desolate; your cities are burned with fire; your land, strangers eat it up in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.

⁸And the daughter of Zion is left, as a booth in a vineyard, as a night-lodge in a cucumber-garden, as a besieged city.

⁹Unless Jehovah of hosts had left us a very small residue, we should have been as Sodom, we should have been like unto Gomorrah.

¹⁰Hear the word of Jehovah, rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, people of Gomorrah!

¹¹To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith Jehovah. I am sated with burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and in the blood of bullocks, and of lambs, and of he-goats I take no pleasure.

¹²When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this from your hand — to tread my courts?

¹³Bring no more vain oblations! Incense is an abomination unto me, — new moon and sabbath, the calling of convocations — wickedness and the solemn meeting I cannot bear.

¹⁴Your new moons and your set feasts my soul hateth: they are a burden to me; I am wearied of bearing them.

¹⁵And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.

¹⁶Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; — cease to do evil,

¹⁷learn to do well: seek judgment, gladden the oppressed, do justice to the fatherless, plead for the widow.

¹⁸Come now, let us reason together, saith Jehovah: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

¹⁹If ye be willing and hearken, ye shall eat the good of the land;

²⁰but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken.

²¹How is the faithful city become a harlot! It was full of judgment; righteousness used to lodge in it, but now murderers.

²²Thy silver is become dross, thy wine is mixed with water:

²³thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves; every one loveth presents, and hunteth after rewards; they judge not the fatherless, and the cause of the widow cometh not unto them.

²⁴Therefore saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel: Ah! I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies.

²⁵And I will turn my hand upon thee, and will thoroughly purge away thy dross, and take away all thine alloy;