Micah, 2
1. Disaster for those who plot evil, who lie in bed planning mischief! No sooner is it dawn than they do it, since they have the power to do so.
1. Woe to those who devise wickedness and work evil upon their beds! When the morning dawns, they perform it, because it is in the power of their hand.
2. Seizing the fields that they covet, they take over houses as well, owner and house they seize alike, the man himself as well as his inheritance.
2. They covet fields, and seize them; and houses, and take them away; they oppress a man and his house, a man and his inheritance.
3. So Yahweh says this: Look, I am now plotting a disaster for this breed from which you will not extricate your necks; you will not hold your heads up then, for the times will be disastrous indeed.
3. Therefore thus says the LORD: Behold, against this family I am devising evil, from which you cannot remove your necks; and you shall not walk haughtily, for it will be an evil time.
4. That day they will make a satire on you, they will strike up a dirge and say, 'We have been stripped of everything; my people's land has been divided up, no one else can restore it to them, our fields have been awarded to our despoiler.'
4. In that day they shall take up a taunt song against you, and wail with bitter lamentation, and say, "We are utterly ruined; he changes the portion of my people; how he removes it from me! Among our captors he divides our fields."
5. Because of this, you will have no one to measure out a share in Yahweh's community.
5. Therefore you will have none to cast the line by lot in the assembly of the LORD.
6. 'Do not drivel,' they drivel, 'do not drivel like this! Disgrace will not overtake us!
6. "Do not preach" -- thus they preach -- "one should not preach of such things; disgrace will not overtake us."
7. 'Can the House of Jacob be accursed? Has Yahweh grown short-tempered? Is that his way of going to work? His prophecies can only be favourable for his people Israel!'
7. Should this be said, O house of Jacob? Is the Spirit of the LORD impatient? Are these his doings? Do not my words do good to him who walks uprightly?
8. But you are the ones who play the enemy to my people. From the inoffensive man you snatch his cloak, on those who feel safe you inflict the damage of war.
8. But you rise against my people as an enemy; you strip the robe from the peaceful, from those who pass by trustingly with no thought of war.
9. My people's women you evict from the homes they love, and deprive the children of my glory for ever,
9. The women of my people you drive out from their pleasant houses; from their young children you take away my glory for ever.
10. saying, 'Up and off with you! You can't stay here!' For a worthless thing you exact an extortionate pledge.
10. Arise and go, for this is no place to rest; because of uncleanness that destroys with a grievous destruction.
11. If a man of the spirit came and invented this lie, 'I prophesy wine and liquor for you,' he would be the prophet for a people like this.
11. If a man should go about and utter wind and lies, saying, "I will preach to you of wine and strong drink," he would be the preacher for this people!
12. I shall assemble the whole of Jacob, I shall gather the remnant of Israel, I shall gather them together like sheep in an enclosure. And like a flock within their fold, they will bleat far away from anyone,
12. I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob, I will gather the remnant of Israel; I will set them together like sheep in a fold, like a flock in its pasture, a noisy multitude of men.
13. their leader will break out first, then all break out through the gate and escape, with their king leading the way and with Yahweh at their head.
13. He who opens the breach will go up before them; they will break through and pass the gate, going out by it. Their king will pass on before them, the LORD at their head.
