1 W oe to those who devise iniquity and work evil on their beds! When the morning is light, they practice it, because it is in the power of their hand.

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 covet fields, and seize them; and houses, and take them away: and they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.

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 T herefore Yahweh says: “Behold, I am planning against these people a disaster, from which you will not remove your necks, neither will you walk haughtily; for it is an evil time.

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 I n that day they will take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, saying, ‘We are utterly ruined! My people’s possession is divided up. Indeed he takes it from me and assigns our fields to traitors!’”

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 T herefore you will have no one who divides the land by lot in Yahweh’s assembly.

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

6 “ Don’t prophesy!” They prophesy. “Don’t prophesy about these things. Disgrace won’t overtake us.”

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

7 S hall it be said, O house of Jacob: “Is Yahweh’s Spirit angry? Are these his doings? Don’t my words do good to him who walks blamelessly?”

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 B ut lately my people have risen up as an enemy. You strip the robe and clothing from those who pass by without a care, returning from battle.

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 out from their pleasant houses; from their young children you take away my blessing forever.

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

10 A rise, and depart! For this is not your resting place, because of uncleanness that destroys, even with a grievous destruction.

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 walking in a spirit of falsehood lies: “I will prophesy to you of wine and of strong drink”; he would be the prophet of this people.

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 surely assemble, Jacob, all of you; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as a flock in the middle of their pasture; they will swarm with 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 H e who breaks open the way goes up before them. They break through the gate, and go out. And their king passes on before them, with Yahweh at their head.

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.