Micah 2
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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 For this cause you will have no one to make the decision by the measuring line in the meeting of the Lord.
Therefore, shalt thou have none to throw a measuring-line by lot, —in the convocation of Yahweh.
6 Let not words like these be dropped, they say: Shame and the curse will not come to the family of Jacob!
Do not sputter—So they sputter! They must not sputter as to these things, Must he not put away reproaches?
7 Is the Lord quickly made angry? are these his doings? do not his words do good to his people Israel?
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 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.
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 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.
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 Up! and go; for this is not your rest: because it has been made unclean, the destruction ordered will come on you.
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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!
