Isaiah 1:2–5

Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth;

for the Lord has spoken:

“Children have I reared and brought up,

but they have rebelled against me.

The ox knows its owner,

and the donkey its master’s crib,

but Israel does not know,

my people do not understand.”

Ah, sinful nation,

a people laden with iniquity,

offspring of evildoers,

children who deal corruptly!

They have forsaken the Lord,

they have despised the Holy One of Israel,

they are utterly estranged.

Why will you still be struck down?

Why will you continue to rebel?

The whole head is sick,

and the whole heart faint.

Hear me, you heavens! Listen, earth!

For the Lord has spoken:

“I reared children and brought them up,

but they have rebelled against me.

The ox knows its master,

the donkey its owner’s manger,

but Israel does not know,

my people do not understand.”

Woe to the sinful nation,

a people whose guilt is great,

a brood of evildoers,

children given to corruption!

They have forsaken the Lord;

they have spurned the Holy One of Israel

and turned their backs on him.

Why should you be beaten anymore?

Why do you persist in rebellion?

Your whole head is injured,

your whole heart afflicted.

Listen, heavens, and pay attention, earth,

for the Lord has spoken:

“I have raised children and brought them up,

but they have rebelled against me.

The ox knows its owner,

and the donkey its master’s feeding trough,

but Israel does not know;

my people do not understand.”

Oh sinful nation,

people weighed down with iniquity,

brood of evildoers,

depraved children!

They have abandoned the Lord;

they have despised the Holy One of Israel;

they have turned their backs on him.

Why do you want more beatings?

Why do you keep on rebelling?

The whole head is hurt,

and the whole heart is sick.

Listen, O heavens! Pay attention, earth!

This is what the Lord says:

“The children I raised and cared for

have rebelled against me.

Even an ox knows its owner,

and a donkey recognizes its master’s care—

but Israel doesn’t know its master.

My people don’t recognize my care for them.”

Oh, what a sinful nation they are—

loaded down with a burden of guilt.

They are evil people,

corrupt children who have rejected the Lord.

They have despised the Holy One of Israel

and turned their backs on him.

Why do you continue to invite punishment?

Must you rebel forever?

Your head is injured,

and your heart is sick.

Hear, heavens,

and listen, earth,

for Yahweh has spoken:

“I reared children

and I brought them up,

but they rebelled against me.

An ox knows its owner

and a donkey the manger of its master.

Israel does not know;

my people do not understand.

Ah, sinful nation,

a people heavy with iniquity,

offspring of evildoers,

children who deal corruptly.

They have forsaken Yahweh;

they have despised the holy one of Israel.

They are estranged and gone backward.

Why do you want to be beaten again?

You continue in rebellion.

The whole of the head is sick,

and the whole of the heart is faint.

Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth:

For the Lord hath spoken,

I have nourished and brought up children,

And they have rebelled against me.

The ox knoweth his owner,

And the ass his master’s crib:

But Israel doth not know,

My people doth not consider.

Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity,

A seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters:

They have forsaken the Lord,

They have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger,

They are gone away backward.

Why should ye be stricken any more?

Ye will revolt more and more:

The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.