Ah, sinful nation,
    a people laden with iniquity,
offspring of evildoers,
    sons who deal corruptly!
They have forsaken the Lord,
    they have despised the Holy One of Israel,
    they are utterly estranged…

Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;
    remove the evil of your doings
    from before my eyes;
cease to do evil,

    learn to do good;
seek justice,
    correct oppression;
defend the fatherless,
    plead for the widow.

- Isaiah 1: 4, 16-7 (NRSV)