1. Listen, nation of Israel,to my mournful message:
2. you, dearest Israel, have fallen,never to rise again—you lie deserted in your own land,with no one to help you up.
3. The Lord God has warned,“From every ten soldiersonly one will be left;from a thousand troops,only a hundred will survive.”
4. The Lord keeps saying,“Israel, turn back to meand you will live!
5. Don't go to Gilgal or Bethelor even to Beersheba.Gilgal will be dragged away,and Bethel will end upas nothing.”
6. Turn back to the Lord,you descendants of Joseph,and you will live.If you don't, the Lordwill attack like fire.Bethel will burn to the ground,and no one can save it.
7. You people are doomed!You twist the truthand trample on justice.
8. But the Lord created the starsand put them in place.He turns darkness to dawnand daylight to darkness;he scoops up the oceanand empties it on the earth.
9. God destroys mighty soldiersand strong fortresses.
10. You people hate judgesand honest witnesses;
11. you abuse the poor and demandheavy taxes from them.You have built expensive homes,but you won't enjoy them;you have planted vineyards,but you will get no wine.
12. I am the Lord, and I knowyour terrible sins.You cheat honest peopleand take bribes;you rob the poor of justice.
13. Times are so evilthat anyone with good sensewill keep quiet.
14. If you really want to live,you must stop doing wrongand start doing right.I, the Lord God All-Powerful,will then be on your side,just as you claim I am.
15. Choose good instead of evil!See that justice is done.Perhaps I, the Lord All-Powerful,will be kind to what's leftof your people.
16. This is what the Lord has sworn:Noisy crying will be heardin every town and street.Even farmers will be toldto mourn for the dead,together with thosewho are paid to mourn.
17. Your vineyards will be filledwith crying and weeping,because I will punish you.I, the Lord, have spoken!
18. You look forward to the daywhen the Lord comes to judge.But you are in for trouble!It won't be a time of sunshine;all will be darkness.
19. You will run from a lion,only to meet a bear.You will escape to your house,rest your hand on the wall,and be bitten by a snake.
20. The day when the Lord judgeswill be dark, very dark,without a ray of light.
21. I, the Lord, hate and despiseyour religious celebrationsand your times of worship.
22. I won't accept your offeringsor animal sacrifices—not even your very best.
23. No more of your noisy songs!I won't listenwhen you play your harps.
24. But let justice and fairnessflow like a riverthat never runs dry.
25. Israel, for forty yearsyou wandered in the desert,without bringing offeringsor sacrifices to me.
26. Now you will have to carrythe two idols you made—Sakkuth, the one you call king,and Kaiwan, the one you builtin the shape of a star.
27. I will force you to marchas captives beyond Damascus.I, the Lord God All-Powerful,have spoken!