"An oxknowsits owner,And a donkeyits master'smanger,[But] Israeldoes not know,My peopledo not understand."
Payheed,you senselessamong the people;And whenwill you understand,stupidones?
Evilmendo not understandjustice,But those who seekthe LORDunderstandallthings.
Goto the ant,O sluggard,Observeher waysand be wise,
When its limbsare dry,they are brokenoff; Womencome[and] makea firewith them, For they are not a peopleof discernment,Thereforetheir Makerwill not havecompassionon them. And their Creatorwill not be graciousto them.
You have seenmanythings,but you do not observe[them]; [Your] earsare open,but nonehears.
They do not know,nordo they understand,for He has smearedovertheir eyessothat they cannotseeand their heartssothat they cannotcomprehend.
Their banquetsare [accompanied] by lyreand harp,by tambourineand flute,and by wine;But they do not payattentionto the deedsof the LORD,Nordo they considerthe workof His hands.
ThereforeMy peoplegointo exilefor their lackof knowledge;And their honorablemenare famished,And their multitudeis parchedwith thirst.
And the dogsare greedy,they are not satisfied.And they are shepherdswho havenounderstanding;They have allturnedto their own way,Eachoneto his unjustgain,to the lastone.
Everymanis stupid,devoidof knowledge;Everygoldsmithis putto shameby his idols;For his moltenimagesare deceitful,And there is nobreathin them.
But they are altogetherstupidand foolish[In their] disciplineof delusion--their idol is wood!
Indeed,the sonsof Jonadabthe sonof Rechabhave observedthe commandof their fatherwhichhe commandedthem, but thispeoplehas not listenedto Me.'"'
"For My peopleare foolish,They knowMe not; They are stupidchildrenAnd havenounderstanding.They are shrewdto doevil,But to dogoodthey do not know."
"My peoplehave becomelostsheep;Their shepherdshave ledthem astray.They have made them turnaside[on] the mountains;They have gonealong from mountainto hillAnd have forgottentheir restingplace.
"Eventhe storkin the skyKnowsher seasons;And the turtledoveand the swiftand the thrushObservethe timeof their migration;But My peopledo not knowThe ordinanceof the LORD.
"Howlanguishingis your heart,"declaresthe LordGOD,"while you doallthesethings,the actionsof a bold-facedharlot.
"Indeed allIsraelhas transgressedYour lawand turnedaside,not obeyingYour voice;so the cursehas been pouredout on us, along with the oathwhichis writtenin the lawof Mosesthe servantof God,for we have sinnedagainst Him.
"For she does not knowthat it was I who gaveher the grain,the newwineand the oil,And lavishedon her silverand gold,[Which] they usedfor Baal.
"When anyonehearsthe wordof the kingdomand does not understandit, the evil[one] comesand snatches awaywhathas been sownin his heart.Thisis the one on whom seed was sownbesidethe road.
And justas they did not see fitto acknowledgeGodany longer, Godgave them overto a depravedmind,to dothosethings which are not proper,
For when they maintainthis,it escapes their noticethat by the wordof God[the] heavensexistedlong agoand [the] earthwas formedout of waterand by water,
