³ Lord, do not your eyes^(A) look for truth?
    You struck^(B) them, but they felt no pain;
    you crushed them, but they refused correction.^(C)
They made their faces harder than stone^(D)
    and refused to repent.^(E)

³⁰ “In vain I punished your people;
    they did not respond to correction.^(A)
Your sword has devoured your prophets^(B)
    like a ravenous lion.

⁶ “I gave you empty stomachs in every city
    and lack of bread in every town,
    yet you have not returned to me,”
declares the Lord.^(A)

⁷ “I also withheld^(B) rain from you
    when the harvest was still three months away.
I sent rain on one town,
    but withheld it from another.^(C)
One field had rain;
    another had none and dried up.
⁸ People staggered from town to town for water^(D)
    but did not get enough^(E) to drink,
    yet you have not returned^(F) to me,”
declares the Lord.^(G)

⁹ “Many times I struck your gardens and vineyards,
    destroying them with blight and mildew.^(H)
Locusts^(I) devoured your fig and olive trees,^(J)
    yet you have not returned^(K) to me,”
declares the Lord.

¹⁰ “I sent plagues^(L) among you
    as I did to Egypt.^(M)
I killed your young men^(N) with the sword,
    along with your captured horses.
I filled your nostrils with the stench^(O) of your camps,
    yet you have not returned to me,”^(P)
declares the Lord.^(Q)

¹¹ “I overthrew some of you
    as I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.^(R)
You were like a burning stick^(S) snatched from the fire,
    yet you have not returned to me,”
declares the Lord.^(T)

¹² “Therefore this is what I will do to you, Israel,
    and because I will do this to you, Israel,
    prepare to meet your God.”

¹⁶ Wash^(A) and make yourselves clean.
    Take your evil deeds out of my sight;^(B)
    stop doing wrong.^(C)
17 Learn to do right;^(D) seek justice.^(E)
    Defend the oppressed.^[a](F)
Take up the cause of the fatherless;^(G)
    plead the case of the widow.^(H)

¹⁸ “Come now, let us settle the matter,”^(I)
    says the Lord.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
    they shall be as white as snow;^(J)
though they are red as crimson,
    they shall be like wool.^(K)
19 If you are willing and obedient,^(L)
    you will eat the good things of the land;^(M)
20 but if you resist and rebel,^(N)
    you will be devoured by the sword.”^(O)
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.^(P)