1Hear8085 ye this word1697 which I take up5375 against you, even a lamentation7015, O house1004 of Israel3478.
2The virgin1330 of Israel3478 is fallen5307; she shall no more3254 rise6965: she is forsaken5203 upon her land127; there is none to raise her up6965.
3For thus saith559 the Lord136 GOD3069; The city5892 that went out3318 by a thousand505 shall leave7604 an hundred3967, and that which went forth3318 by an hundred3967 shall leave7604 ten6235, to the house1004 of Israel3478.
4For thus saith559 the LORD3068 unto the house1004 of Israel3478, Seek1875 ye me, and ye shall live2421:
5But seek1875 not Bethel1008, nor enter935 into Gilgal1537, and pass5674 not to Beersheba884: for Gilgal1537 shall surely1540 go into captivity1540, and Bethel1008 shall come to nought205.
6Seek1875 the LORD3068, and ye shall live2421; lest he break out6743 like fire784 in the house1004 of Joseph3130, and devour398 it, and there be none to quench3518 it in Bethel1008.
7Ye who turn2015 judgment4941 to wormwood3939, and leave off3240 righteousness6666 in the earth776,
8Seek him that maketh6213 the seven stars3598 and Orion3685, and turneth2015 the shadow of death6757 into the morning1242, and maketh the day3117 dark2821 with night3915: that calleth7121 for the waters4325 of the sea3220, and poureth them out8210 upon the face6440 of the earth776: The LORD3068 is his name8034:
9That strengtheneth1082 the spoiled7701 against the strong5794, so that the spoiled7701 shall come935 against the fortress4013.
10They hate8130 him that rebuketh3198 in the gate8179, and they abhor8581 him that speaketh1696 uprightly8549.
11Forasmuch3282 therefore as your treading1318 is upon the poor1800, and ye take3947 from him burdens4864 of wheat1250: ye have built1129 houses1004 of hewn stone1496, but ye shall not dwell3427 in them; ye have planted5193 pleasant2531 vineyards3754, but ye shall not drink8354 wine3196 of them.
12For I know3045 your manifold7227 transgressions6588 and your mighty6099 sins2403: they afflict6887 the just6662, they take3947 a bribe3724, and they turn aside5186 the poor34 in the gate8179 from their right.
13Therefore the prudent7919 shall keep silence1826 in that time6256; for it is an evil7451 time6256.
14Seek1875 good2896, and not evil7451, that ye may live2421: and so the LORD3068, the God430 of hosts6635, shall be with you, as ye have spoken559.
15Hate8130 the evil7451, and love157 the good2896, and establish3322 judgment4941 in the gate8179: it may be that the LORD3068 God430 of hosts6635 will be gracious2603 unto the remnant7611 of Joseph3130.
16Therefore the LORD3068, the God430 of hosts6635, the Lord136, saith559 thus; Wailing4553 shall be in all streets7339; and they shall say559 in all the highways2351, Alas1930! alas1930! and they shall call7121 the husbandman406 to mourning60, and such as are skilful3045 of lamentation5092 to wailing4553.
17And in all vineyards3754 shall be wailing4553: for I will pass5674 through7130 thee, saith559 the LORD3068.
18Woe1945 unto you that desire183 the day3117 of the LORD3068! to what end4100 is it for you? the day3117 of the LORD3068 is darkness2822, and not light216.
19As if a man376 did flee5127 from6440 a lion738, and a bear1677 met6293 him; or went935 into the house1004, and leaned5564 his hand3027 on the wall7023, and a serpent5175 bit5391 him.
20Shall not the day3117 of the LORD3068 be darkness2822, and not light216? even very dark651, and no brightness5051 in it?
21I hate8130, I despise3988 your feast days2282, and I will not smell7306 in your solemn assemblies6116.
22Though ye offer5927 me burnt offerings5930 and your meat offerings4503, I will not accept7521 them: neither will I regard5027 the peace offerings8002 of your fat beasts4806.
23Take thou away5493 from me the noise1995 of thy songs7892; for I will not hear8085 the melody2172 of thy viols5035.
24But let judgment4941 run down1556 as waters4325, and righteousness6666 as a mighty386 stream5158.
25Have ye offered5066 unto me sacrifices2077 and offerings4503 in the wilderness4057 forty705 years8141, O house1004 of Israel3478?
26But ye have borne5375 the tabernacle5522 of your Moloch4428 and Chiun3594 your images6754, the star3556 of your god430, which ye made6213 to yourselves.
27Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity1540 beyond1973 Damascus1834, saith559 the LORD3068, whose name8034 is The God430 of hosts6635.