⁴ Oh sinful nation,
people weighed down with iniquity,^(K)
brood of evildoers,^(L)
depraved children!
They have abandoned^(M) the Lord;
they have despised^(N) the Holy One of Israel;^(O)
they have turned their backs on him.

⁵ Why do you want more beatings?
Why do you keep on rebelling?
The whole head is hurt,
and the whole heart is sick.
⁶ From the sole of the foot even to the head,^(P)
no spot is uninjured^(Q)—
wounds, welts, and festering sores
not cleansed, bandaged,
or soothed with oil.

⁷ Your land is desolate,
your cities burned down;^(R)
foreigners devour your fields
right in front of you—
a desolation, like a place demolished by foreigners.
⁸ Daughter Zion^(S) is abandoned
like a shelter in a vineyard,
like a shack in a cucumber field,
like a besieged city.
⁹ If the Lord of Armies^(T)
had not left us a few survivors,^(U)
we would be like Sodom,
we would resemble Gomorrah.^(V)

¹⁰ Hear the word of the Lord,^(W)
you rulers of Sodom!
Listen to the instruction of our God,
you people of Gomorrah!^(X)
11 “What are all your sacrifices to me?”
asks the Lord.
“I have had enough of burnt offerings and rams
and the fat of well-fed cattle;
I have no desire for the blood of bulls,
lambs, or male goats.^(Y)
12 When you come to appear before me,
who requires this from you—
this trampling of my courts?
¹³ Stop bringing useless offerings.^(Z)
Your incense is detestable to me.
New Moons and Sabbaths,^(AA)
and the calling of solemn assemblies^(AB)—
I cannot stand iniquity^(AC) with a festival.
¹⁴ I hate your New Moons and prescribed festivals.
They have become a burden to me;
I am tired of putting up with them.
¹⁵ When you spread out your hands in prayer,^(AD)
I will refuse to look at you;
even if you offer countless prayers,
I will not listen.^(AE)
Your hands are covered with blood.^(AF)

¹⁸ “Come, let’s settle this,”^(AJ)
says the Lord.
“Though your sins are scarlet,
they will be as white as snow;^(AK)
though they are crimson red,
they will be like wool.
¹⁹ If you are willing and obedient,
you will eat the good things of the land.^(AL)
20 But if you refuse and rebel,
you will be devoured by the sword.”^(AM)
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.^(AN)

²¹ The faithful town—
what an adulteress^[d] she has become!
She was once full of justice.
Righteousness once dwelt in her,
but now, murderers!
²² Your silver has become dross to be discarded,
your beer^[e] is diluted with water.
²³ Your rulers are rebels,
friends of thieves.^(AO)
They all love graft
and chase after bribes.^(AP)
They do not defend the rights of the fatherless,
and the widow’s case never comes before them.^(AQ)

²⁴ Therefore the Lord God of Armies,
the Mighty One of Israel, declares:
“Ah, I will get even with my foes;
I will take revenge against my enemies.^(AR)
25 I will turn my hand against you^(AS)
and will burn away your dross completely;^[f]
I will remove all your impurities.^(AT)
26 I will restore your judges^(AU) to what they were at first,
and your advisers to what they were at the start.
Afterward you will be called the Righteous City,^(AV)
a Faithful Town.”

²⁷ Zion will be redeemed by justice,
those who repent, by righteousness.^(AW)
28 At the same time both rebels and sinners will be broken,
and those who abandon the Lord will perish.
²⁹ Indeed, they^[g] will be ashamed of the sacred trees
you desired,^(AX)
and you will be embarrassed because of the garden shrines
you have chosen.^(AY)
30 For you will become like an oak
whose leaves are withered,
and like a garden without water.^(AZ)
31 The strong one will become tinder,
and his work a spark;
both will burn together,^(BA)
with no one to extinguish the flames.^(BB)