| Chapter 5 |
1 |
Hear you this word which I take up for a lamentation over you, O house of Israel. --
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2 |
The virgin of Israel is fallen; she shall no more rise: she is cast down on her land; there is none to raise her up. --
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3 |
For thus says the Lord Yahweh: The city that went forth a thousand shall have a hundred left, and that which went forth one hundred shall have ten left, to the house of Israel. --
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4 |
For thus says Yahweh to the house of Israel, Seek you me, and you shall live; --
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5 |
but don't seek Bethel, nor enter into Gilgal, and don't pass to Beersheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nothing. --
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6 |
Seek Yahweh, and you shall live; lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and it devour, and there be none to quench it in Bethel. --
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7 |
You who turn justice to wormwood, and cast down righteousness to the earth, --
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8 |
[seek him] who makes the Pleiades and Orion, and turns the shadow of death into the morning, and makes the day dark with night; who calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out on the surface of the earth (Yahweh is his name); --
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9 |
who brings sudden destruction on the strong, so that destruction comes on the fortress. --
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10 |
They hate him who reproves in the gate, and they abhor him who speaks blamelessly. --
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11 |
Forasmuch therefore as you trample on the poor, and take taxes from him of wheat: you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not dwell in them; you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink the wine of it. --
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12 |
For I know how manifold are your transgressions, and how mighty are your sins-you who afflict the just, who take a bribe, and who turn aside the needy in the gate [from their right]. --
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13 |
Therefore he who is prudent shall keep silence in such a time; for it is an evil time. --
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14 |
Seek good, and not evil, that you may live; and so Yahweh, the God of hosts, will be with you, as you say. --
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15 |
Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish justice in the gate: it may be that Yahweh, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph. --
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16 |
Therefore thus says Yahweh, the God of hosts, the Lord: Wailing shall be in all the broad ways; and they shall say in all the streets, Alas! Alas! and they shall call the farmer to mourning, and such as are skillful in lamentation to wailing. --
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17 |
In all vineyards shall be wailing; for I will pass through the midst of you, says Yahweh. --
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18 |
Woe to you who desire the day of Yahweh! Why would you have the day of Yahweh? It is darkness, and not light. --
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19 |
As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. --
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20 |
Shall the day of Yahweh not be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it? --
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21 |
I hate, I despise your feasts, and I will take no delight in your solemn assemblies. --
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22 |
Yes, though you offer me your burnt offerings and meal-offerings, I will not accept them; neither will I regard the peace-offerings of your fat animals. --
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23 |
Take away from me the noise of your songs; for I will not hear the melody of your viols. --
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24 |
But let justice roll down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream. --
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25 |
Did you bring to me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, house of Israel? --
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26 |
Yes, you have borne the tent of your king and the shrine of your images, the star of your god, which you made to yourselves. --
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27 |
Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus, says Yahweh, whose name is the God of hosts. --
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