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 A curse on the designers of evil, working on their beds! in the morning light they do it, because it is in their power.

2 They have a desire for fields and take them by force; and for houses and take them away: they are cruel to a man and his family, even to a man and his heritage.

3 For this cause the Lord has said, See, against this family I am purposing an evil from which you will not be able to take your necks away, and you will be weighted down by it; for it is an evil time.

4 In that day this saying will be said about you, and this song of grief will be made: The heritage of my people is measured out, and there is no one to give it back; those who have made us prisoners have taken our fields from us, and complete destruction has come to us.

5 For this cause you will have no one to make the decision by the measuring line in the meeting of the Lord.

6 Let not words like these be dropped, they say: Shame and the curse will not come to the family of Jacob!

7 Is the Lord quickly made angry? are these his doings? do not his words do good to his people Israel?

8 As for you, you have become haters of those who were at peace with you: you take the clothing of those who go by without fear, and make them prisoners of war.

9 The women of my people you have been driving away from their dearly loved children; from their young ones you are taking my glory for ever.

10 Up! and go; for this is not your rest: because it has been made unclean, the destruction ordered will come on you.

11 If a man came with a false spirit of deceit, saying, I will be a prophet to you of wine and strong drink: he would be the sort of prophet for this people.

12 I will certainly make all of you, O Jacob, come together; I will get together the rest of Israel; I will put them together like the sheep in their circle: like a flock in their green field; they will be full of the noise of men.

13 The opener of the way will go up before them: forcing their way out they will go on to the doorway and out through it: their king will go on before them, and the Lord at their head.