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 to those who plan iniquity, to those who plan on their beds to do evil. In the morning light they do it because they have 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.
They desire fields and seize them; they desire houses and take them. They oppress a man and his house, a man and his inheritance.
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 Yahweh says this, “Look, I am about to bring disaster against this clan, from which you will not remove your necks. You will not walk arrogantly, for it will be an evil time.
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 day men will sing a song about you, and lament with a wailing lamentation. They will sing, 'We Israelites are completely ruined; Yahweh changes the territory of my people. How can he remove it from me? He portions out our fields to traitors!'”
5 Therefore, shalt thou have none to throw a measuring-line by lot, —in the convocation of Yahweh.
Therefore, you rich people will have no descendants to divide up the territory by lot in the assembly of Yahweh.
6 Do not sputter—So they sputter! They must not sputter as to these things, Must he not put away reproaches?
“Do not prophesy,” they say. “They must not prophesy these things; reproaches must not come.”
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?
Should it really be said, house of Jacob, “Is the Spirit of Yahweh angry? Are these really his deeds?” Do not my words do good to anyone who walks uprightly?
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.
Lately my people have risen up like an enemy. You strip the robe, the garment, from those who pass by unsuspectingly, as soldiers return from war to what they think is safety.
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.
You drive the women belonging to my people from their pleasant houses; you take my blessing from their young children forever.
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.
Get up and leave, for this is not a place where you can stay, because of its uncleanness; it is destroyed with complete 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 someone comes to you in a spirit of falsehood and lies and says, “I will prophesy to you about wine and strong drink,” he would be considered to be a prophet for 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 assemble all of you, Jacob. I will surely gather the remnant of Israel. I will bring them together like sheep in a fold, like a flock in the midst of their pasture. There will be a loud noise because of the multitude of people.
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!
Someone who breaks open their way for them will go ahead of them. They break through the gate and go out; their king will pass on before them. Yahweh will be at their head.
