Micah 2

1 Alas for them who devise iniquity and work wickedness upon their beds, —in the light of the morning, they will execute it, for it is in the power of their hand.

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 Thus do they covet fields and seize them, and houses and take them away, —and so they oppress the master and his household, the 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 Therefore, —Thus, saith Yahweh, Behold me! devising, against this family, a calamity, —from which ye shall not remove your neck, neither shall ye walk loftily, for, a time of calamity, shall it be.

Therefore thus saith the LORD: 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 In that day, shall one take up against you a by-word, and lament a lamentable lamentation, saying—we are made, utterly desolate, the portion of my people, he passeth to others, —How doth he set me aside! To an apostate, our fields, doth he apportion.

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

5 Therefore, shalt thou have none to throw a measuring-line by lot, —in the convocation of Yahweh.

Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast the line by lot in the congregation of the LORD.

6 Do not sputter—So they sputter! They must not sputter as to these things, Must he not put away reproaches?

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

7 O thou who art said to be the house of Jacob, Is the spirit of Yahweh, impatient? Or are, these, his doings? Are not, his words, pleasant to him who is upright in his walk?

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

8 But, against my people, as an enemy, he setteth himself, from off the robe, they tear away, the cloak, —from such as are passing by with confidence, as men averse 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 The wives of my people, ye do even drive out, each from the house of her darlings, —from over her children, ye do take away mine ornament, as long as life shall last.

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

10 Arise ye and depart, for, this, is not the place of rest, —Because it is defiled, it shall make desolate with a desolation that is ruthless.

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

11 If there be a man, who goeth after wind, and, falsehood, hath woven, [saying] —I will discourse to thee, concerning wine and strong drink, then shall he become a fountain of discourse unto this people.

If a man walking in wind and 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 will, surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee, I will, surely gather, the remnant of Israel, at once, will I make them like sheep in distress, —Like a flock in the midst of its pasture, shall they hum with men,

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 One making a breach, hath gone up, before them, they have broken in, and passed through, and, by the gate, have departed, —and their king, hath passed through, before them, with, Yahweh, 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 the LORD at the head of them.