Woe to the Oppressors
1
1Woe to those who devise wickedness and work evil 2on their beds! When the morning dawns, they perform it, because it is in the power of their hand.
2
They covet fields and 3seize them, and houses, and take them away; they oppress a man and his house, a man and his inheritance.
3
Therefore thus says the LORD: behold, against 4this family I am devising disaster,a from which you cannot remove your necks, and you 5shall not walk haughtily, 6for it will be a time of disaster.
4
In that day 7they shall take up a taunt song against you and moan bitterly, and say, "We are utterly ruined; 8he changes the portion of my people; 9how he removes it from me! 10To an apostate he allots our fields."
6
12"Do not preach"--thus they preach-- 13"one should not preach of such things; 14disgrace will not overtake us."
7
Should this be said, O house of Jacob? 15Has the LORD grown impatient?b Are these his deeds? Do not my words do good to him who walks uprightly?
8
But lately 16my people have risen up as an enemy; you strip the rich robe from those who pass by trustingly with no thought of war.c
9
The women of my people you drive out from their delightful houses; from their young children you take away my splendor forever.
10
17Arise and go, for this is no 18place to rest, because of 19uncleanness that destroys with a grievous destruction.
11
If a man should go about and 20utter wind and lies, saying, "I will preach to you 21of wine and strong drink," he would be the preacher for this people!
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)