1 I t is bad for those who make plans to do wrong, who lie on their beds thinking of something sinful to do! When morning comes, they do it, because it is in their power.

Woe to those who devise iniquity and work out evil upon their beds! When the morning is light, they perform and practice it because it is in their power.

2 T hey want fields that belong to someone else, and take them. They want houses, and take them. They rob a man and his house, a man and what has been given to him.

They covet fields and seize them, and houses and take them away; they oppress and crush a man and his house, a man and his inheritance.

3 S o the Lord says, “I am planning trouble against this family, from which you cannot save yourselves. You will no longer walk in pride, for it will be a time of much trouble.

Therefore thus says the Lord: Behold, against this family I am planning a disaster from which you cannot remove your necks, nor will you be able to walk erect; for it will be an evil time.

4 O n that day they will make fun of you and sing a bitter song of sorrow, saying, ‘We are destroyed and everything is gone! My people’s land is divided. He takes it from me! He gives our fields to those who turned against us.’”

In that day shall they take up a parable against you and wail with a doleful and bitter lamentation and say, We are utterly ruined and laid waste! changes the portion of my people. How He removes it from me! He divides our fields.

5 S o you will have no one among the Lord’s people to divide the land in a right way for you. Men Who Lie

Therefore you shall have no one to cast a line by lot upon a plot in the assembly of the Lord.

6 “ The people say to me, ‘Do not speak about these things, because we will not be put to shame.’

Do not preach, say the prophesying false prophets; one should not babble and harp on such things; disgrace will not overtake us.

7 S hould it be said, O people of Jacob: “Is the Spirit of the Lord angry? Would He do such things? Do not My Words do good to the one whose way is right and good?

O house of Jacob, shall it be said, Is the Spirit of the Lord restricted, impatient, and shortened? Or are these His doings? Do not My words do good to him who walks uprightly?

8 M y people have begun to hate those who are at peace with them. You pull the coat off from a brother Israelite, from those who pass by in peace like men returning from war.

But lately (yesterday) My people have stood up as an enemy. Off from the garment you strip the cloak of those who pass by in secure confidence of safety and are averse to war.

9 Y ou drive the women of My people away from their beautiful houses. You take My greatness away from their children forever.

The women of My people you cast out from their pleasant houses; from their young children you take away My glory forever.

10 G et up and go away, for this is no place of rest, because it is made unclean. It is destroyed with much suffering.

Arise and depart, for this is not the rest, because of uncleanness that works destruction, even a sharp and grievous destruction.

11 I f a man comes speaking lies and says, ‘I will speak to you about wine and strong drink,’ he would be the one for these people! Israel Is Gathered Together

If a man walking in a spirit and in falsehood should lie and say, I will prophesy to you of wine and strong drink, O Israel, he would even be the acceptable prophet of this people!

12 “ I will gather all of you together, Jacob. I will gather all those left of Israel. I will put them together like sheep within a fence, like a flock in its field. The land will be filled with the noise of many people.

I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob; I will surely collect the remnant of Israel. I will bring them together like sheep in a fold, like a flock in the midst of their pasture. They shall swarm with men and hum with much noise.

13 T he One Who breaks open the way will go out before them. They will break through the gate and go out. Their king will pass through before them, and the Lord will lead them.”

The Breaker will go up before them. They will break through, pass in through the gate and go out through it, and their King will pass on before them, the Lord at their head.