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.

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.