< Micah 2 >

1 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.
Woe vnto them, that imagine iniquitie, and worke wickednesse vpon their beddes: when the morning is light they practise it because their hande hath power.
2 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.
And they couet fields, and take them by violence, and houses, and take them away: so they oppresse a man and his house, euen man and his heritage.
3 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.
Therefore thus saieth the Lord, Beholde, against this familie haue I deuised a plague, whereout yee shall not plucke your neckes, and ye shall not go so proudly, for this time is euill.
4 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.
In that daye shall they take vp a parable against you, and lament with a dolefull lamentation, and say, We be vtterly wasted: hee hath changed the portion of my people: how hath he taken it away to restore it vnto mee? he hath deuided our fieldes.
5 Therefore, shalt thou have none to throw a measuring-line by lot, —in the convocation of Yahweh.
Therefore thou shalt haue none that shall cast a corde by lot in the Congregation of the Lord.
6 Do not sputter—So they sputter! They must not sputter as to these things, Must he not put away reproaches?
They that prophecied, Prophecie ye not. They shall not prophecie to them, neither shall they take shame.
7 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?
O thou that art named of the house of Iaakob, is the Spirite of the Lord shortened? are these his workes? are not my wordes good vnto him that walketh vprightly?
8 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.
But hee that was yesterday my people, is risen vp on the other side, as against an enemie: they spoyle the beautifull garment from them that passe by peaceably, as though they returned from the warre.
9 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.
The women of my people haue ye cast out from their pleasant houses, and from their childre haue ye taken away my glorie continually.
10 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.
Arise and depart, for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, euen with a sore destruction.
11 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.
If a man walke in the Spirit, and would lie falsely, saying, I wil prophecie vnto thee of wine, and of strong drinke, he shall euen be the prophet of this people.
12 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,
I will surely gather thee wholy, O Iaakob: I will surely gather the remnant of Israel: I will put them together as the sheepe of Bozrah, euen as the flocke in the mids of their folde: the cities shall be full of brute of the men.
13 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!
The breaker vp shall come vp before them: they shall breake out, and passe by the gate, and goe out by it, and their King shall goe before them, and the Lord shalbe vpon their heades.

< Micah 2 >