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.

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 take them by violence; 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 proverb concerning you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, {and} say, We are utterly spoiled: he hath changed the portion of my people: how hath he removed it from me! He hath distributed our fields to the rebellious.

5 Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast the measuring line upon a lot, in the congregation of Jehovah.

6 Prophesy ye not, they prophesy. If they do not prophesy to these, the ignominy will not depart.

7 O thou {that art} named the house of Jacob, Is Jehovah impatient? 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 off the mantle with the garment from them that pass by securely, that are averse from war.

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

10 Arise ye, and depart; for this is not the resting-place, because of defilement that bringeth destruction, even a grievous destruction.

11 If a man walking in wind and falsehood do lie, {saying,} I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink, he shall be the prophet of this people.

12 I will surely assemble, O Jacob, the whole of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as 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 that breaketh through is gone up before them: they have broken forth, and have passed on to the gate, and are gone out by it; and their king passeth on before them, and Jehovah at the head of them.