¹ Höret, ihr vom Hause Israel, dies Wort; denn ich muß dies Klagelied über euch machen:

² Die Jungfrau Israel ist gefallen, daß sie nicht wieder aufstehen wird; sie ist zu Boden gestoßen, und ist niemand, der ihr aufhelfe.

³ Denn so spricht der HERR Gott: Die Stadt, da tausend ausgehen, soll nur hundert übrig behalten; und da hundert ausgehen, soll nur zehn übrig behalten im Hause Israel.

⁴ Darum so spricht der HERR zum Hause Israel: Suchet mich, so werdet ihr leben!

⁵ Suchet nicht Bethel und kommet nicht gen Gilgal und gehet nicht gen Berseba. Denn Gilgal wird gefangen weggeführet werden, und Bethel wird Beth-Aven werden.

⁶ Suchet den HERRN, so werdet ihr leben, daß nicht ein Feuer im Hause Josephs überhandnehme, das da verzehre, und niemand löschen möge zu Bethel,

⁷ die ihr das Recht in Wermut verkehret und die Gerechtigkeit zu Boden stoßet.

⁸ Er macht die Glucke und Orion; der aus der Finsternis den Morgen und aus dem Tage die finstere Nacht macht; der dem Wasser im Meer ruft und schüttet es auf den Erdboden: er heißet HERR,

⁹ der über den Starken eine Verstörung anrichtet und bringet eine Verstörung über die feste Stadt.

¹⁰ Aber sie sind dem gram, der sie im Tor straft, und haben den für einen Greuel, der heilsam lehret.

¹¹ Darum, weil ihr die Armen unterdrücket und nehmet das Korn mit großen Lasten von ihnen, so sollt ihr in den Häusern nicht wohnen, die ihr von Werkstücken gebauet habt, und den Wein nicht trinken, den ihr in den feinen Weinbergen gepflanzet habt.

¹² Denn ich weiß euer Übertreten, des viel ist, und eure Sünden, die stark sind, wie ihr die Gerechten dränget und Blutgeld nehmet und die Armen im Tor unterdrücket.

¹³ Darum muß der Kluge zur selbigen Zeit schweigen; denn es ist eine böse Zeit.

¹⁴ Suchet das Gute und nicht das Böse, auf daß ihr leben möget, so wird der HERR, der Gott Zebaoth, bei euch sein, wie ihr rühmet.

¹⁵ Hasset das Böse und liebet das Gute, bestellet das Recht im Tor, so wird der HERR, der Gott Zebaoth, den übrigen in Joseph gnädig sein.

¹⁶ Darum so spricht der HERR, der Gott Zebaoth, der HERR: Es wird in allen Gassen Wehklagen sein, und auf allen Straßen wird man sagen: Wehe! wehe! Und man wird den Ackermann zum Trauern rufen und zum Wehklagen, wer da weinen kann.

¹⁷ In allen Weinbergen wird Wehklagen sein; denn ich will unter euch fahren, spricht der HERR.

¹⁸ Wehe denen, die des HERRN Tag begehren! Was soll er euch? Denn des HERRN Tag ist eine Finsternis und nicht ein Licht.

¹⁹ Gleich als wenn jemand vor dem Löwen flöhe und ein Bär begegnete ihm, und als wenn jemand in ein Haus käme und lehnete sich mit der Hand an die Wand und eine Schlange stäche ihn.

²⁰ Denn des HERR Tag wird ja finster und nicht licht sein, dunkel und nicht hell.

²¹ Ich bin euren Feiertagen gram und verachte sie und mag nicht riechen in eure Versammlung.

²² Und ob ihr mir gleich Brandopfer und Speisopfer opfert, so hab ich keinen Gefallen daran; so mag ich auch eure feisten Dankopfer nicht ansehen.

²³ Tu nur weg von mir das Geplärr deiner Lieder; denn ich mag deines Psalterspieles nicht hören!

²⁴ Es soll aber das Recht offenbaret werden wie Wasser und die Gerechtigkeit wie ein starker Strom.

²⁵ Habt ihr vom Hause Israel mir in der Wüste die vierzig Jahre lang Schlachtopfer und Speisopfer geopfert? Jawohl!

²⁶ Ihr truget den Sichuth, euren König, und Chiun, euer Bild, den Stern eurer Götter, welche ihr euch selbst gemacht hattet.

²⁷ So will ich euch von hinnen jenseit Damaskus wegführen lassen, spricht der HERR, der Gott Zebaoth heißt.

⁹ Sollte ich nun solches nicht heimsuchen an ihnen, spricht der HERR, und meine Seele sollte sich nicht rächen an solchem Volk, als dies ist?

¹ "Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went out to meet the bridegroom.

² Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.

³ Those who were foolish, when they took their lamps, took no oil with them,

⁴ but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

⁵ Now while the bridegroom delayed, they all slumbered and slept.

⁶ But at midnight there was a cry, 'Behold! The bridegroom is coming! Come out to meet him!'

⁷ Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

⁸ The foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.'

⁹ But the wise answered, saying, 'What if there isn't enough for us and you? You go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.'

¹⁰ While they went away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut.

¹¹ Afterward the other virgins also came, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us.'

¹² But he answered, 'Most certainly I tell you, I don't know you.'

¹³ Watch therefore, for you don't know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

¹⁴ "For it is like a man, going into another country, who called his own servants, and entrusted his goods to them.

¹⁵ To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one; to each according to his own ability. Then he went on his journey.

¹⁶ Immediately he who received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.

¹⁷ In the same way, he also who got the two gained another two.

¹⁸ But he who received the one went away and dug in the earth, and hid his lord's money.

¹⁹ "Now after a long time the lord of those servants came, and reconciled accounts with them.

²⁰ He who received the five talents came and brought another five talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents. Behold, I have gained another five talents besides them.'

²¹ "His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'

²² "He also who got the two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents. Behold, I have gained another two talents besides them.'

²³ "His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'

²⁴ "He also who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter.

²⁵ I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the earth. Behold, you have what is yours.'

²⁶ "But his lord answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant. You knew that I reap where I didn't sow, and gather where I didn't scatter.

²⁷ You ought therefore to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back my own with interest.

²⁸ Take away therefore the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents.

²⁹ For to everyone who has will be given, and he will have abundance, but from him who doesn't have, even that which he has will be taken away.

³⁰ Throw out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

³¹ "But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory.

³² Before him all the nations will be gathered, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

³³ He will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

³⁴ Then the King will tell those on his right hand, 'Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;

³⁵ for I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I was a stranger, and you took me in.

³⁶ I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to me.'

³⁷ "Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you; or thirsty, and give you a drink?

³⁸ When did we see you as a stranger, and take you in; or naked, and clothe you?

³⁹ When did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?'

⁴⁰ "The King will answer them, 'Most certainly I tell you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'

⁴¹ Then he will say also to those on the left hand, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels;

⁴² for I was hungry, and you didn't give me food to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink;

⁴³ I was a stranger, and you didn't take me in; naked, and you didn't clothe me; sick, and in prison, and you didn't visit me.'

⁴⁴ "Then they will also answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and didn't help you?'

⁴⁵ "Then he will answer them, saying, 'Most certainly I tell you, inasmuch as you didn't do it to one of the least of these, you didn't do it to me.'

⁴⁶ These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."