2Alas for those who devise wickedness
   and evil deeds on their beds!
When the morning dawns, they perform it,
   because it is in their power.
2 They covet fields, and seize them;
   houses, and take them away;
they oppress householder and house,
   people and their inheritance.
3 Therefore, thus says the Lord:
Now, I am devising against this family an evil
   from which you cannot remove your necks;
and you shall not walk haughtily,
   for it will be an evil time.
4 On that day they shall take up a taunt-song against you,
   and wail with bitter lamentation,
and say, ‘We are utterly ruined;
   the Lord alters the inheritance of my people;
how he removes it from me!
   Among our captors he parcels out our fields.’
5 Therefore you will have no one to cast the line by lot
   in the assembly of the Lord.

6 ‘Do not preach’—thus they preach—
   ‘one should not preach of such things;
   disgrace will not overtake us.’
7 Should this be said, O house of Jacob?
   Is the Lord’s patience exhausted?
   Are these his doings?
Do not my words do good
   to one who walks uprightly?
8 But you rise up 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 The women of my people you drive out
   from their pleasant houses;
from their young children you take away
   my glory for ever.
10 Arise and go;
   for this is no place to rest,
because of uncleanness that destroys
   with a grievous destruction.
11 If someone were to go about uttering empty falsehoods,
   saying, ‘I will preach to you of wine and strong drink’,
   such a one would be the preacher for this people!

12 I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob,
   I will gather the survivors of Israel;
I will set them together
   like sheep in a fold,
like a flock in its pasture;
   it will resound with people.
13 The one who breaks out 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.