Chapter 2

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

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.

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 is.

In that day doth one 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.

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

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

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?

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.

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

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

If one is going with the wind, And with falsehood hath lied: `I prophesy to thee of wine, and of strong drink,` He hath been the prophet of this 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.

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!