< Micha Propheta 3 >

1 et dixi audite principes Iacob et duces domus Israhel 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 eos 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 ollae
‘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 haec dicit Dominus super prophetas qui seducunt populum meum qui mordent dentibus suis et praedicant pacem et si quis non dederit in ore eorum quippiam sanctificant super eum proelium
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 tenebrae 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 vultus suos omnes 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 adnuntiem Iacob scelus suum et Israhel 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 haec principes domus Iacob et iudices domus Israhel 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 aedificatis Sion in sanguinibus et Hierusalem 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 prophetae 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 Hierusalem 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.’

< Micha Propheta 3 >