Micah, 2

1. Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.

1. Woe to those who plot wickedness and plan evil even on their beds! When morning comes they do it, as soon as it is within their reach.

2. And they covet fields, and take [them] by violence; and houses, and take [them] away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.

2. If they covet fields, they seize them. Do they like houses? They take them. They seize the owner and his household, both the man and his property.

3. Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks; neither shall ye go haughtily: for this time [is] evil.

3. This is why Yahweh speaks, "I am plotting evil against this whole brood, from which your necks cannot escape. No more shall you walk with head held high for it will be an evil time."

4. In that day shall [one] take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, [and] say, We be utterly spoiled: he hath changed the portion of my people: how hath he removed [it] from me! turning away he hath divided our fields.

4. On that day they will sing a taunting song against you and a bitter lamentation will be heard, "We have been stripped of our property in our homeland. Who will free us from the wicked who allots our fields."

5. Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot in the congregation of the LORD.

5. Truly, no one will be found in the assembly of Yahweh to keep a field for you.

6. Prophesy ye not, [say they to them that] prophesy: they shall not prophesy to them, [that] they shall not take shame.

6. What will you say to that? For there is no reply. Disgrace will not pass away; these words will strike the nation of Jacob.

7. O [thou that art] named the house of Jacob, is the spirit of the LORD straitened? [are] these his doings? do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?

7. They answer, "Is the might of Yahweh weakened? Is this his way of working things out? Has he not good words for his people of Israel?"

8. Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye pull off the robe with the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse from war.

8. But it is you who oppress my people and are his enemies. You strip off the garments of those who pass by confidently;

9. The women of my people have ye cast out from their pleasant houses; from their children have ye taken away my glory for ever.

9. you drive the women of my people from the home they love; you rob my blessing from their children forever.

10. Arise ye, and depart; for this [is] not [your] rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy [you], even with a sore destruction.

10. Get up! Away with you! There is no resting place for you here! Because of this uncleanness of yours, you will go roped up.

11. If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, [saying], I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.

11. If a deceiver were to come and say, "I will preach to you of wine and strong drink," he would be the prophet for this people.

12. I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great noise by reason of [the multitude of] men.

12. I shall assemble you, nation of Jacob, and gather the remnant of Israel. I will bring them together like sheep in a fold, like a flock in its pasture.

13. The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the LORD on the head of them.

13. They have a leader in their midst. See: their king goes before them, Yahweh is heading them!