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.

Wo those devising iniquity, And working evil on their beds, In the light of the morning they do it, For their hand is -- to God.

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.

And they have desired fields, And they have taken violently, And houses, and they have taken away, And have oppressed a man and his house, Even 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 said Jehovah: Lo, I am devising against this family evil, From which ye do not remove your necks, Nor walk loftily, for a time of evil it.

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 doth take up for you a simile, And he hath wailed a wailing of wo, He hath said, We have been utterly spoiled, The portion of my people He doth change, How doth He move toward me! To the backslider our fields He apportioneth.

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, thou hast no caster of a line by lot In the assembly of Jehovah.

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

Ye do not prophesy -- they do prophesy, They do not prophesy to these, It doth not remove shame.

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?

Doth the house of Jacob say, `Hath the Spirit of Jehovah been shortened? Are these His doings?' Do not My words benefit the people that is walking 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.

And yesterday My people for an enemy doth raise himself up, From the outer garment the honourable ornament ye strip off, From the confident passers by, Ye who are turning back from 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 ye cast out from its delightful house, From its sucklings ye take away My honour to the age.

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.

Rise and go, for this not the rest, Because of uncleanness it doth corrupt, And corruption is powerful.

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 one is going the wind, And falsehood hath lied: `I prophesy to thee of wine, and of strong drink,' He hath been the 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 do surely gather thee, O Jacob, all of thee, I surely bring together the remnant of Israel, Together I do set it as the flock of Bozrah, As a drove in the midst of its pasture, It maketh a noise because of man.

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.”

Gone up hath the breaker before them, They have broken through, Yea, they pass through the gate, Yea, they go out through it, And pass on doth their king before them, And Jehovah at their head!