Micha Propheta 3
1 Et dixi: Audite princeps Iacob, et duces domus Israel: Numquid non vestrum est scire iudicium,
I also said: ‘Listen now, leaders of Jacob, judges of the house of Israel. Is it not your duty to know what is the right?
2 qui odio habetis bonum, et diligitis malum: qui violenter tollitis pelles eorum desuper eis, et carnem eorum desuper ossibus eorum?
Haters of that which is good and lovers of evil!
3 Qui comederunt carnem populi mei, et pellem eorum desuper excoriaverunt: et ossa eorum confregerunt, et conciderunt sicut in lebete, et quasi carnem in medio ollæ.
‘They devour the flesh of my people, and their hide they strip from off them, and break in pieces and serve up their bones, like meat in a pot or the cooking pan!
4 Tunc clamabunt ad Dominum, et non exaudiet eos: et abscondet faciem suam ab eis in tempore illo, sicut nequiter egerunt in adinventionibus suis.
‘Then they will cry out to the Lord, but he will not pay attention to them. He will hide his face from them at that time because they have committed such crimes.’
5 Hæc dicit Dominus super prophetas, qui seducunt populum meum: qui mordent dentibus suis, et prædicant pacem: et si quis non dederit in ore eorum quippiam, sanctificant super eum prælium.
Therefore the Lord says: ‘To the prophets who lead my people astray, who when they have food between their teeth declare peace, but against one who puts nothing in their mouths, they proclaim an open war!
6 Propterea nox vobis pro visione erit, et tenebræ vobis pro divinatione: et occumbet sol super prophetas, et obtenebrabitur super eos dies.
‘Night will overtake you so that you have no vision, and darkness so that there will be no divination, and the sun will go down on the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them.
7 Et confundentur qui vident visiones, et confundentur divini: et operient omnes vultos suos, quia non est responsum Dei.
‘The seers will be ashamed, and the diviners will turn pale, all of them will cover their mouths. For there will be no answer from God.
8 Verumtamen ego repletus sum fortitudine Spiritus Domini, iudicio, et virtute: ut annunciem Iacob scelus suum, et Israel peccatum suum.
‘But I, on the contrary am full of power, and the sense of justice and strength, to make known to Jacob his crime, and to Israel his sin.
9 Audite hoc principes domus Iacob, et iudices domus Israel: qui abominamini iudicium, et omnia recta pervertitis.
‘Hear this, leaders of the house of Jacob, judges of the house of Israel, you who spurn justice, and make all that is straight crooked,
10 Qui ædificatis Sion in sanguinibus, et Ierusalem in iniquitate.
who build Zion with acts of bloodshed, and Jerusalem with crime.
11 Principes eius in muneribus iudicabant, et sacerdotes eius in mercede docebant, et prophetæ eius in pecunia divinabant: et super Dominum requiescebant, dicentes: Numquid non Dominus in medio nostrum? non venient super nos mala.
‘The leaders render judgment for a bribe, and her priests give oracles for a reward, and her prophets divine for silver. Yet they claim to rely on the Lord, “The Lord”, they say, “is in our midst. Evil cannot overtake us.”
12 Propter hoc, causa vestri, Sion quasi ager arabitur, et Ierusalem quasi acervus lapidum erit, et mons templi in excelsa silvarum.
‘Therefore for your sakes Zion will be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem will become a heap of ruins, and the temple mount a wooded height.’
