Micah 2
1 Woe to those who devise iniquity and plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they accomplish it because the power is in their hands.
Alas for them who devise iniquity and work wickedness upon their beds, —in the light of the morning, they will execute it, for it is in the power of their hand.
2 They covet fields and seize them; they take away houses. They deprive a man of his home, a fellow man of his inheritance.
Thus do they covet fields and seize them, and houses and take them away, —and so they oppress the master and his household, the man and his inheritance.
3 Therefore this is what the LORD says: “I am planning against this nation a disaster from which you cannot free your necks. Then you will not walk so proudly, for it will be a time of calamity.
Therefore, —Thus, saith Yahweh, Behold me! devising, against this family, a calamity, —from which ye shall not remove your neck, neither shall ye walk loftily, for, a time of calamity, shall it be.
4 In that day they will take up a proverb against you and taunt you with this bitter lamentation: ‘We are utterly ruined! He has changed the portion of my people. How He has removed it from me! He has allotted our fields to traitors.’”
In that day, shall one take up against you a by-word, and lament a lamentable lamentation, saying—we are made, utterly desolate, the portion of my people, he passeth to others, —How doth he set me aside! To an apostate, our fields, doth he apportion.
5 Therefore, you will have no one in the assembly of the LORD to divide the land by lot.
Therefore, shalt thou have none to throw a measuring-line by lot, —in the convocation of Yahweh.
6 “Do not preach,” they preach. “Do not preach these things; disgrace will not overtake us.”
Do not sputter—So they sputter! They must not sputter as to these things, Must he not put away reproaches?
7 Should it be said, O house of Jacob, “Is the Spirit of the LORD impatient? Are these the things He does?” Do not My words bring good to him who walks uprightly?
O thou who art said to be the house of Jacob, Is the spirit of Yahweh, impatient? Or are, these, his doings? Are not, his words, pleasant to him who is upright in his walk?
8 But of late My people have risen up like an enemy: You strip off the splendid robe from unsuspecting passersby like men returning from battle.
But, against my people, as an enemy, he setteth himself, from off the robe, they tear away, the cloak, —from such as are passing by with confidence, as men averse from war.
9 You drive the women of My people from their pleasant homes. You take away My blessing from their children forever.
The wives of my people, ye do even drive out, each from the house of her darlings, —from over her children, ye do take away mine ornament, as long as life shall last.
10 Arise and depart, for this is not your place of rest, because its defilement brings destruction— a grievous destruction!
Arise ye and depart, for, this, is not the place of rest, —Because it is defiled, it shall make desolate with a desolation that is ruthless.
11 If a man of wind were to come and say falsely, “I will preach to you of wine and strong drink,” he would be just the preacher for this people!
If there be a man, who goeth after wind, and, falsehood, hath woven, [saying] —I will discourse to thee, concerning wine and strong drink, then shall he become a fountain of discourse unto this people.
12 I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob; I will collect the remnant of Israel. I will bring them together like sheep in a pen, like a flock in the midst of its pasture— a noisy throng.
I will, surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee, I will, surely gather, the remnant of Israel, at once, will I make them like sheep in distress, —Like a flock in the midst of its pasture, shall they hum with men,
13 One who breaks open the way will go up before them; they will break through the gate, and go out by it. Their King will pass through before them, the LORD as their leader.
One making a breach, hath gone up, before them, they have broken in, and passed through, and, by the gate, have departed, —and their king, hath passed through, before them, with, Yahweh, at their head!
