Micah 2
1 Woe to those that devise wickedness, and resolve on evil upon their couches! by the first light of the morning they execute it, if they have it in the power of their hand.
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 covet fields, and rob them; and houses, and take them away: so they defraud the master and his house, and the man and his heritage.
They covet fields and seize them, and houses, then take them away. They oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.
3 Therefore thus hath said the Lord, Behold, I will devise against this family an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks; nor shall ye go erect; for it is an evil time.
Therefore Yahweh says: “Behold, 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 On that day shall one take up a parable against you, and lament with a mournful lamentation, and say, “We are utterly wasted: the portion of my people hath he exchanged; how hath he removed it from me! instead of restoring [them to us] he divideth our fields.”
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 shalt thou have none that shall draw the [measuring] cord in [his] lot in the congregation of the Lord.
Therefore you will have no one who divides the land by lot in Yahweh’s assembly.
6 “Preach not;” [but] they shall preach: they shall not preach [indeed] to these, that reproach may not overtake them.
“Don’t prophesy!”—they prophesy— “Don’t prophesy about these things. Disgrace won’t overtake us.”
7 Shall it be said [in] the house of Jacob, Is the spirit of the Lord straightened? are these his doings? Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?
Shall it be said, O house of Jacob, “Is Yahweh’s Spirit angry? Are these his doings? Don’t my words do good to him who walks blamelessly?”
8 But long since is my people risen up as an enemy: from the garment do you pull off the ornament; of those that pass by securely [ye make] men returned from 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 The wives of my people do you drive out of their delightful houses; from their children do ye take away my ornament for ever.
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 this is not your resting-place; because it is polluted, it shall destroy [you], even with a grievous destruction.
Arise, and depart! For this is not your resting place, because of uncleanness that destroys, even with a grievous destruction.
11 If a man that goeth after wind and lieth with falsehood [should say], “I will preach unto thee of wine and of strong drink:” he would be a preacher for this people.
If a man walking in a spirit of falsehood lies, saying, “I will prophesy to you of wine and of strong drink,” he would be the prophet of this people.
12 I will [once] surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather up the remnant of Israel; I will place them together as flocks in the fold, as droves in the midst of their pen: they shall be crowded with men.
I will surely assemble all of you, Jacob. I will surely gather the remnant of Israel. I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as a flock in the middle of their pasture. They will swarm with people.
13 The wall-breaker cometh up before them; they break in and pass through the gate, and go out by it: and their king passeth on before them, and the Lord at their head.
He who breaks open the way goes up before them. They break through the gate, and go out. Their king passes on before them, with Yahweh at their head.
