1 Wee die wat onreg uitdink en kwaad smee op hulle bedde; by die môre lig voer hulle dit uit, want dit is in die mag van hulle hand.

2 Ja, hulle begeer velde en roof dit; ook huise en neem dit. So pleeg hulle dan geweld teenoor die man en sy huis, teenoor die mens en sy erfdeel.

3 Daarom, so sê die HERE: Kyk, Ek bedink onheil teen hierdie geslag, waar julle jul nekke nie sal kan uittrek nie, en waarby julle nie regop sal kan loop nie; want dit sal 'n tyd van onheil wees!

4 In die dag sal hulle 'n spotlied oor julle aanhef en 'n klaaglied sing: Dit is gedaan -- sal hulle sê -- ons is heeltemal verwoes; die eiendom van my volk laat Hy van besitter verander. Hoe neem Hy dit van my af! Aan die afvalliges deel Hy ons velde uit.

5 Daarom sal daar vir jou niemand wees wat die meetsnoer werp in 'n erfdeel in die vergadering van die HERE nie.

6 Moet nie profeteer nie! sê die valse profete. As 'n mens hieroor nie mag profeteer nie, sal die beskimping nie ophou nie!

7 Mag dit gesê word, o huis van Jakob: Sou die HERE dan ongeduldig wees? Of is dit sy dade? Is my woorde nie vriendelik teenoor hom wat as opregte wandel nie?

8 Maar reeds vroeër het my volk vyandig opgetree. Julle pluk die mantel af, weg van die kleed van die wat in gerustheid verbygaan, wat afkerig is van oorlog.

9 Die vroue van my volk verdryf julle uit die huis wat hulle liefhet; van hulle kinders neem julle my sieraad weg in ewigheid.

10 Staan op en gaan heen! Want nie hi,r is die rusplek nie, weens die onreinheid wat verwoesting aanrig, ja, 'n onherstelbare verwoesting.

11 As iemand wind nawandel en bedrieglik lieg en sê: Ek sal vir jou profeteer by wyn en sterk drank -- dan sou hy vir hierdie volk 'n profeet wees!

12 Gewis sal Ek jou geheel en al versamel, o Jakob! Gewis sal Ek vergader die oorblyfsel van Israel; almal bymekaarbring soos skape in 'n kraal, soos 'n kudde in sy weiveld; en dit sal dreun van mense.

13 Die deurbreker sal optrek voor hulle uit: hulle sal deurbreek en deur die poort intrek en daardeur uittrek; en hulle koning sal voor hulle uit gaan, en die HERE heeltemal vooraan.

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

6 Prophesy ye not, thus they prophesy. They shall not prophesy to these: reproaches shall not depart. 7 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 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 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 your resting-place; because of uncleanness that destroyeth, even with a grievous destruction. 11 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 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 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.