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

Woe to them that devise iniquity and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.

2 A nd 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.

And they 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.

3 T herefore, 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.

Therefore thus saith Jehovah: Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks, neither shall ye walk haughtily; for it is an evil time.

4 I n 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.

In that day shall they take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, and say, We are utterly ruined: he changeth the portion of my people: how doth he remove it from me! to the rebellious he divideth our fields.

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

Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast the line by lot in the assembly of Jehovah.

6 Y e do not prophesy -- they do prophesy, They do not prophesy to these, It doth not remove shame.

Prophesy ye not, thus they prophesy. They shall not prophesy to these: reproaches shall not depart.

7 D oth 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?

Shall it be said, O house of Jacob, Is the Spirit of Jehovah straitened? are these his doings? Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?

8 A nd 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.

But of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye strip the robe from off the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse from war.

9 T he women of My people ye cast out from its delightful house, From its sucklings ye take away My honour to the age.

The women of my people ye cast out from their pleasant houses; from their young children ye take away my glory for ever.

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

Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your resting-place; because of uncleanness that destroyeth, even with a grievous destruction.

11 I f 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!

If a man walking in a spirit of falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.

12 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.

I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as a flock in the midst of their pasture; they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men.

13 G one 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!

The breaker is gone up before them: they have broken forth and passed on to the gate, and are gone out thereat; and their king is passed on before them, and Jehovah at the head of them.