Hear O heaven, and hearken O earth, for the LORD hath spoken: I have nourished and brought up children, and they are fallen away from me.

Alas for this sinful nation, which are expert in blasphemies; a seed of ungracious people, corrupt in their ways. They have forsaken the LORD; they have provoked the holy one of Israel unto anger, and are gone backward.

I hate your new holidays and fastings, even from my very heart. I cannot away with such vanity and holding in of the people. They lay upon me as a burden, and I am weary of bearing them!

And so though your sins be like to purple, they shall be made as white as snow; and though they be as red as scarlet, they shall be made like white wool.

Thy princes are traitors and companions of thieves. They love gifts altogether, and gape for rewards. As for the fatherless, they help him not to his right, neither will they let the widows causes come before them.

and set thy judges again as they were sometime, and thy Senators as they were from the beginning. Then shalt thou be called the righteous city, the faithful city.

But Zion shall be redeemed with equity, and they shall turn again unto her in righteousness.

For they shall be ashamed of the gods that you longed for. And you shall be put to shame for the idols and grove gardens that ye have chosen.

And as for the glory of your graven images, it shall be turned to dry straw, and he that made them to a spark. And they shall both burn together, so that no man shall be able to quench them.

And he shall be judge among the heathen and tell many nations their faults. And they shall turn their swords into mattocks and their spears into scythes. One nation shall not lift up a sword against another, neither shall they teach to war any more.

But thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they go far beyond the east countries in Sorcerers - who they have as the Philistines had - and in calkers of men's births, whereof they have too many.

For Jerusalem is overthrown, and Judah must fall to the ground, because that both their words and counsels are against the LORD, they provoke the presence of his Majesty unto anger.

The changing of their countenance betrayeth them; yea, they declare their own sins themselves, as Sodom, and hide them not. Woe be unto their souls, for they shall be heavily rewarded.

Bid the righteous do well, for they shall enjoy the fruits of their studies.

But woe be unto the ungodly and unrighteous, for they shall be rewarded after their works.

Moreover, thus sayeth the LORD, "Seeing the daughters of Zion are become so proud, and come in with stretched out necks, and with vain wanton eyes; seeing they come in tripping so nicely with their feet:

At that time shall their gates mourn and complain, and they shall sit as desolate folk upon the earth.

I will lay it waste, that it shall neither be twisted nor cut, but bear thorns and briers. I will also forbid the clouds, that they shall not rain upon it.

In those companies are harps and lutes, tabrets and pipes, and wine. But they regard not the work of the LORD, and consider not the operation of his hands.

Therefore cometh my folk also in captivity, because they have no understanding. Their glory is famished with hunger, and their pride is marred for thirst.

Therefore like as fire licketh up the straw, and as the flame consumeth the stubble: Even so - when their root is full - their blossom shall vanish away like dust or smoke. For they have cast away the law of the LORD of Hosts, and blaspheme the word of the holy maker of Israel.

And he shall give a token unto a strange people, and call unto them in a far country: and behold, they shall come hastily with speed.

Their cry is as it were of a lion, and the roaring of them like lion's whelps. They shall roar, and haunch up the prey, and no man shall recover it or get it from them.

In that day they shall be so fierce upon them, as the sea. And if we look unto the land, behold, it shall be all darkness and sorrow. If we look to heaven: behold, it shall be dark with careful desperation.

They cried also each one to other on this manner: "Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of Hosts! The whole world is full of his glory!"

Harden the heart of this people, stop their ears, and shut their eyes, that they see not with their eyes, hear not with their ears, and understand not with their heart, and convert and be healed."

Like as they shall come into the land with arrows and bows, so shall all the land become briers and thorns.

And many shall stumble, fall, and be broken upon him: yea they shall be snared and taken."

And therefore if they say unto you, "Ask counsel at the soothsayers, witches, charmers and conjurers," then make them this answer: "Is there a people anywhere, that asketh not counsel at his God? Should they run unto the dead for the living?"

If any man want light, let him look upon the law and the testimony whether they speak not after this meaning.

Shalt thou multiply the people, and not increase the joy also? They shall rejoice before thee even as men make merry in harvest, and as men that have gotten the victory, when they deal the spoil.

And the people also of Ephraim, and they that dwell in Samaria, can say with pride and high stomachs, on this manner:

For the people turneth not unto him, that chastiseth them, neither do they seek the LORD of Hosts.

For all they which inform the people that they be in a right cause, such be deceivers. Such as men think also to be perfect among these, are but cast aways.

Therefore shall the LORD have no pleasure in their young men, neither favour their fatherless and widows. For they are all together hypocrites and wicked, and all their mouths speak folly. After all this shall not the LORD's wrath cease, but yet his hand shall be stretched out still.

Manasseh shall eat Ephraim and Ephraim Manasseh, and they both shall eat Judah. After all this shall not the LORD's wrath cease, but yet shall his hand be stretched out still.

but they both together shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the West: and spoil them together that dwell toward the East. The Edomites and the Moabites shall let their hands fall, and the Ammonites shall be obedient unto them.

And thus shall he make a way for his people, that remaineth from the Assyrians, like as it happened to the Israelites, what time they departed out of the land of Egypt.

They come not only out of far countries, but also from the ends of the heavens: Even the LORD himself with the ministers of his wrath, to destroy the whole land.

they shall stand in fear, carefulness and sorrow shall come upon them, and they shall have pain, as a woman that travaileth with child. One shall ever be abashed of another, and their faces shall burn like the flame.

The people shall take them, and carry them home to their own land. And the house of Israel shall have them in possession for servants and maidens in the land of the LORD. They shall take those prisoners, whose captives they had been afore: and rule those that had oppressed them.

that they may all - one after another - sing and speak unto thee. Art thou wounded also as we? Art thou become like unto us?

They that seek thee, shall narrowly look upon thee, and think in themselves, saying, "Is this the man, that brought all lands in fear, and made the kingdoms afraid?

and thou art cast out of thy grave like a wild branch - like as dead men's raiment that are shot through with the sword, as they that go down to the stones of the deep, as a dead corpse that is trodden under feet -

There shall a way be sought to destroy their children, for their fathers' wickedness: They shall not rise up again to possess the land, and fill the world full of castles and towns.

They went up to the idols' house, even to Dibon to the high places, to weep for Nebo; and Moab did mourn for Medeba. All their heads were bald, and all their beards shaven.

In their streets were they girded about with sackcloth. In all the tops of their houses and streets was there nothing, but mourning and weeping.

Woe is my heart for Moab's sake. They fled unto the city of Zoar, which is like a fair young bullock of three years old; they went up to Luhith, weeping. The way toward Horonaim was full of lamentation for the hurt.

For as for the daughters of Moab, they shall be as a trembling bird, that is put out of her nest: for they shall carry them unto Arnon.

Therefore shall Moab make lamentation because of the Moabites that shall be slain: yea, they shall wail all together. Because of the foundations of the city of brick shall ye complain, even ye lame people that are left only behind.

But now the LORD sayeth thus: In three years, which shall be as the years of a hired servant, shall the glory of Moab be turned into confusion throughout all his multitude, which is very great. And as for the remnant of them, they shall be small and feeble.

At the same time shall their strong cities be desolate, like as were once the forsaken plows and corn, which they forsook, for fear of the children of Israel.

Even like many waters shall the people rage: God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and vanish away like the dust with the wind upon a hill, and as the whirlwind through a storm.

which sendeth her message over the sea in ships of reeds upon the water. Get ye hence, ye speedy messengers, to a nation that is scattered abroad and robbed of that they had: a fearful nation from their beginning hitherto; a nation trodden down by little and little, whose land the floods have spoiled.

Thus shall they be left together unto the fowls of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth: for in summer the birds shall remain upon it, and every beast of the land shall winter there.

In that time shall there be a present brought to the LORD of Hosts: even a people that is scattered abroad, and robbed of that they had - that same people which hat been fearful from their beginning hitherto; a nation trodden down by little and little, whose land the floods have spoiled. To the place of the name of the LORD of Hosts: even to the mount Zion.

And Egypt shall be choked in herself. When they ask counsel at their idols, at their sorcerors, at their soothsayers and witches: then will I bring their counsel to naught.

The fishers shall mourn, all such as cast angles in the water shall complain, and they that spread their nets in the water shall be faint hearted.

Such as labour upon flax and silk, shall come to poverty, and they also that weave fine works.

For their open works shall be even destroyed, and all they that make pounds and slues for fish shall come to naught.

I am come of the old regal Progeny"? Where are they? Where are now thy wise men? Let them tell thee, if they can, what the LORD of Hosts hath taken in hand against Egypt.

The princes of Zoan are become fools, and the princes of Noph are deceived: yea, they deceive Egypt with their nobility of their stock.

For the LORD hath made Egypt drunken with the spirit of error, and they shall use it in all matters: even like as a drunken man goeth spewing about.

This shall be a token or testimony unto the LORD of Hosts in the land of Egypt, when they shall cry unto him, because of those that oppress them. And he shall send them a Captain and a Saviour to deliver them.

Moreover, Egypt shall be brought unto the LORD, and the Egyptians also shall know the LORD at the same time: they shall do him reverence with peace offerings, and with meat offerings: they shall promise him offerings, yea, and pay him also.

Thus the LORD shall smite Egypt, and heal it again: and so shall they turn to the LORD, and he also shall have mercy upon them, and save them.

They shall be also at their wits end, and ashamed one of another: the Egyptians of the Ethiopians, and the Ethiopians of the Egyptians, considering what glory they were in afore.

Moreover, they that dwell in the Isles shall say even the same day, 'Behold, thus are we regarded! Whither shall we fly for help, that we might be delivered from the king of the Assyrians? How will we escape?'"

While they garnished the table, the watchman looked: and while he was eating and drinking it was said, "Up, ye Captains, take you to your shield."

For they shall run away from the weapon, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow, and from the great battle.

For all thy Captains gat them to their horses from the ordinance, yea they are all together ridden away, and fled far off.

But they to fulfill their lust and willfulness, slaughter oxen: they kill sheep, they eat costly meat, and drink wine. "Let us eat and drink, tomorrow we shall die."

They shall hang upon him all the glory of his father's house, of the children and children's children, all apparel small and great, all instruments of measure and music.

The burden of Tyre. Mourn, ye ships of Tarshish, for there cometh such destruction that ye shall not have a house to enter into. Out of the land of Chittim they have knowledge of this plague.

But all her occupying and wining shall be hallowed unto the LORD. For then shall they lay up nothing behind them nor upon heaps: but the merchandise of Tyre shall belong to the citizens of the LORD, to the feeding and sustaining of the hungry, and to the clothing of the aged.

For the earth is corrupt of her indwellers. For why? They have offended the law, changed the ordinances, and broken the everlasting covenant.

Therefore hath the curse consumed the earth; and they that dwell therein are fallen into trespass. Wherefore the inhabiters of the earth are perished with drought, and those that remain shall be very few.

that they may be trodden under the feet of the simple, and with the steps of the poor.

LORD, when thine hand is lift up to strike, they see it not: but they shall see it, and be confounded, when thou shalt devour them with the wrath of the people, and with the fire of thine enemies.

The malicious tyrants when they die, are neither in life nor in the resurrection, for thou visitest them and rootest them out, and destroyest all the memorial of them.

Lord, in trouble have they visited thee; they poured out their prayer while thy chastening was upon them.

But as for thy dead men and ours, that be departed, they are in life and resurrection. They lie in the earth, they wake, and have joy: for thy dew is a dew of life and light. But the place of the malicious Tyrants is fallen away.

It will come to this point, that Jacob shall be rooted again, and Israel shall be green, and bear flowers, and they shall fill the whole world with their fruit.

Their harvest shall be burnt; their wives, which were their beauty when they came forth, shall be defiled. For it is a people without understanding, and therefore he that created them, shall not favour them; and he that made them, shall not be merciful to them.

But they go wrong by the reason of wine, they fall and stagger because of strong drink. Yea even the priests and prophets themselves go amiss, they are drunken with wine, and weak brained through strong drink. They fail in prophesying, and stumble in judgment.

Whom then shall such one teach knowledge? And whom shall he make to understand the thing that he heareth? For they are as ignorant as young children, which are weeded from suck or taken from the breasts.

"This shall bring rest, if one refresh the weary, yea this shall bring rest." But they had no will to hear.

And therefore the LORD shall answer their stubbornness, lesson upon lesson, commandment upon commandment, rule upon rule, instruction upon instruction, here a little, there a little. That they may go forth, fall backward, be bruised, snared, and taken.

And the multitude of all nations that fight against Ariel shall be as a dream seen by night; even so shall all they be that make war against it, and strongholds to overcome it.

Ponder these things once in your mind, and wonder: Blinded are they themselves, and the blind guides of others; they are drunken, but not with wine; they are unstable, but not through strong drink.

Therefore thus sayeth the LORD, "Forsomuch as this people, when they be in trouble, do honor me with their mouth, and with their lips, whereas their heart nevertheless is far from me; and the fear which they owe unto me, that turn they to men's laws and doctrines;

Then shall the furious people cease, and the mockers shall be put away, and all they that do wrong shall be plucked out,

when he seeth among his children - whom my hands have made - such as hallow my name among them: that they may sanctify the holy one of Jacob, and fear the God of Israel.

They also which have been of an erroneous spirit shall come to understanding, and they that have been scornful shall learn doctrine."

Alas, for those disobedient children," sayeth the LORD, "that will take counsel without me. Alas, that they will take a secret advice, and not out of my spirit: and therefore add they sin unto sin.

They go down into Egypt, and ask me no counsel; to seek help at he power of Pharaoh, and comfort in the shadow of the Egyptians.

They were all ashamed of the people that could do them no good, and that might not help them, nor show them any profit - but were their confusion and rebuke."

They dare say to the Prophets, "See not," and unto them that be clear of judgment, "Tell us of nothing for to come, but speak friendly words unto us, and preach us false things.

Yet standeth the LORD waiting, that he may have mercy upon you, and lifteth himself up, that he may receive you to grace. For the LORD God is righteous. Happy are all they that wait for him.

But ye shall sing, as the use is in the night of the holy solemnity. Ye shall rejoice from your heart, as they that come with the pipe, when they go up to the mount of the LORD, unto the rock of Israel.