Micah 2

1 Woe to you that devise that which is unprofitable, and work evil in your beds: in the morning light they execute it, because their hand is against God.

Woe to those who devise iniquity and work evil on their beds. When the morning is light, they practice it, because it is in the power of their hand.

2 And they have coveted fields, and taken them by violence, and houses they have forcibly taken away: and oppressed a man and his house, a man and his inheritance.

They covet fields, and seize them; and houses, and take them away: and they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.

3 Therefore thus saith the Lord: Behold, I devise an evil against this family: from which you shall not withdraw your necks, and you shall not walk haughtily, for this is a very evil time.

Therefore thus says the LORD: "Look, I am planning against these people a disaster, from which you will not remove your necks, neither will you walk haughtily; for it is an evil time.

4 In that day a parable shall be taken up upon you, and a song shall be sung with melody by them that say: We are laid waste and spoiled: the portion of my people is changed: how shall he depart from me, whereas he is returning that will divide our land?

In that day they will take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, saying, 'We are utterly ruined. My people's possession is divided up. Indeed he takes it from me and assigns our fields to traitors.'"

5 Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast the cord of a lot in the assembly of the Lord.

Therefore you will have no one who divides the land by lot in the assembly of the LORD.

6 Speak ye not, saying: It shall not drop upon these, confusion shall not take them.

"Do not prophesy." They prophesy. "Do not prophesy about these things. Disgrace won't overtake us."

7 The house of Jacob saith: Is the spirit of the Lord straitened, or are these his thoughts? Are not my words good to him that walketh uprightly?

Shall it be said, O house of Jacob: "Is the Spirit of the LORD angry? Are these his doings? Do not my words do good to him who walks blamelessly?"

8 But my people, on the contrary, are risen up as an enemy: you have taken away the cloak off from the coat: and them that passed harmless you have turned to war.

But lately my people have risen up as an enemy. You strip the robe and clothing from those who pass by without a care, returning from battle.

9 You have cast out the women of my people from their houses, in which they took delight: you have taken my praise for ever from their children.

You drive the women of my people out from their pleasant houses; from their young children you take away my blessing forever.

10 Arise ye, and depart, for there is no rest here for you. For that uncleanness of the land, it shall be corrupted with a grievous corruption.

Arise, and depart. For this is not your resting place, because of uncleanness that destroys, even with a grievous destruction.

11 Would God I were not a man that hath the spirit, and that I rather spoke a lie: I will let drop to thee of wine, and of drunkenness: and it shall be this people upon whom it shall drop.

If a man walking in a spirit of falsehood lies: "I will prophesy to you of wine and of strong drink;" he would be the prophet of this people.

12 I will assemble and gather together all of thee, O Jacob: I will bring together the remnant of Israel, I will put them together as a flock in the fold, as the sheep in the midst of the sheepcotes, they shall make a tumult by reason of the multitude of men.

I will surely assemble, Jacob, all of you; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as a flock in the midst of their pasture; they will swarm with people.

13 For he shall go up that shall open the way before them: they shall divide, and pass through the gate, and shall come in by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the Lord at the head of them.

The breaker goes up before them. They break through the gate, and go out. And their king passes on before them, with the LORD at their head.