1
Hear ye this word which I▵ take··up against you, a lamentation, O house of Israel.
2
The virgin of Israel has fallen; she shall not arise again; she is abandoned on her ground; there is none to raise· her ·up.
3
For thus says the Lord Jehovih*: The city that went··out by a thousand shall have a hundred left, and that which went··out by a hundred shall have ten left, to the house of Israel.
4
For thus says Jehovah to the house of Israel: Inquire··after Me, and live;
5
but inquire· not ·after Bethel, nor come into Gilgal, and pass not to Beer-sheba, for Gilgal exiled shall be exiled, and Bethel shall be for sorrow◦.
6
Inquire··after Jehovah, and you shall live, lest He come··mightily as fire on the house of Joseph, and devour it, and there be none to quench it in Bethel,
7
you who turn judgment to wormwood, and replace justice in the earth!
8
He who makes the Pleiades and Orion, and turns the shadow··of··death into◦ the morning, and darkens the day into night; who calls to the waters of the sea, and spills them on the faces of the earth: Jehovah is His name,
9
who strengthens◦ devastation against the strong, and devastation shall come against the fortress.
10
They hate him who reproves in the gate, and they abominate him who speaks in integrity.
11
Therefore because your treading▵ is upon the poor, and you take from him burdens of grain◦, you shall build houses of hewn◦ stone, but you shall not dwell in them; you shall plant vineyards of desire, but you shall not drink wine of them.
12
For I know your many transgressions and your numerous sins; being··an··adversary to the just, taking a bribe◦*, and they caused the needy to go··aside in the gate.
13
Therefore those having··intelligence shall be··still in that◦ time, for it◦ is an evil time.
14
Inquire··after good, and not evil, in··order··that you may live; and so Jehovah, the God of Armies, shall be with you, as◦ you have said.
15
Hate evil, and love good, and place◦ judgment in the gate; perhaps Jehovah God of Armies will be··gracious··to those who··are··left of Joseph.
16
Therefore Jehovah, the God of Armies, the Lord, says thus: Wailing shall be in all streets, and they shall say in all the avenues, Alas, alas! And they shall call the farmer to▵ mourning and wailing, to▵ those knowing lamentation◦,
17
and in all vineyards shall be wailing, for I will pass··through in the midst··of thee, says Jehovah.
18
Woe to you who long··for the day of Jehovah! To what end is this to you? The day of Jehovah, it◦ is darkness, and not light,
19
As◦ if a man◦ did flee from before a lion, and a bear fell··upon him; or he came··into the house, and supported his hand on the wall◦, and a serpent bit him.
20
Shall not the day of Jehovah be darkness, and not light, and thick··darkness, and no◦ brightness for it?
21
I hate, I reject your festivals, and I will not smell your days of restraint*,
22
for if you offer··up to Me burnt··offerings and your gift··offerings, I will not be··well··pleased; and I will not look··on the peace··offerings of your fatlings.
23
Remove from upon Me the noise of thy songs, and the psalm of thy psalteries I will not hear.
24
But let judgment roll down as waters, and justice as a strong◦ brook.
25
Have you presented to Me sacrifices and gift··offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel?
26
But you have carried Siccuth your king, and Kiiun your images, the star of your gods, which you made for yourselves.
27
And I will cause you to go into exile beyond Damascus, says Jehovah, whose name is The God of Armies.
