15. “And when you spread out your hands, I hide My eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I do not hear. Your hands have become filled with blood.
16. “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Stop doing evil!
17. “Learn to do good! Seek right-ruling, reprove the oppressor, defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.
18. “Come now, and let us reason together,” says יהוה. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
19. “If you submit and obey, you shall eat the good of the land;
20. but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword,” for the mouth of יהוה has spoken.
21. How the steadfast city has become a whore! I have filled it with right-ruling; righteousness lodged in it, but now murderers.
22. Your silver has become dross, your wine is mixed with water.
23. Your rulers are stubborn, and companions of thieves. Everyone loves bribes, and runs after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, nor does the cause of the widow reach them.
24. Therefore the Master declares, יהוה of hosts, the Elohim of Yisra’ĕl, “Ah, I shall be eased of My adversaries, and I shall be avenged of My enemies.
25. “And I shall turn My hand against you, and shall refine your dross as with lye, and shall remove all your alloy.
26. “And I shall give back your judges as at the first, and your counsellors as at the beginning. After this you shall be called the city of righteousness, a steadfast city.”
27. Tsiyon shall be redeemed with right-ruling, and her returning ones with righteousness.
28. And the destruction of transgressors and of sinners is together, and those who forsake יהוה shall be consumed.