8. The One who made the Pleiades and Orion, who turns darkness into dawn and darkens day into night, who summons the waters of the sea and pours them out over the face of the earth —Yahweh is His name.
9. He brings destruction on the strong, and it falls on the stronghold.
10. They hate the one who convicts the guilty at the city gateand despise the one who speaks with integrity.
11. Therefore, because you trample on the poor and exact a grain tax from him,you will never live in the houses of cut stone you have built;you will never drink the winefrom the lush vineyardsyou have planted.
12. For I know your crimes are manyand your sins innumerable.They oppress the righteous, take a bribe,and deprive the poor of justice at the gates.
13. Therefore, the wise person will keep silent at such a time,for the days are evil.
14. Seek good and not evilso that you may live,and the Lord, the God of Hosts,will be with you,as you have claimed.
15. Hate evil and love good; establish justice in the gate. Perhaps the Lord, the God of Hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.
16. Therefore Yahweh, the God of Hosts, the Lord, says:There will be wailing in all the public squares; they will cry out in anguish in all the streets.The farmer will be called on to mourn, and professional mourners to wail.
17. There will be wailing in all the vineyards, for I will pass among you. The Lord has spoken.
18. Woe to you who long for the Day of the Lord! What will the Day of the Lord be for you?It will be darkness and not light.
19. It will be like a man who flees from a lion only to have a bear confront him.He goes home and rests his hand against the wallonly to have a snake bite him.
20. Won’t the Day of the Lordbe darkness rather than light, even gloom without any brightness in it?
21. I hate, I despise your feasts! I can’t stand the stenchof your solemn assemblies.
22. Even if you offer Meyour burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; I will have no regardfor your fellowship offerings of fattened cattle.
23. Take away from Me the noise of your songs!I will not listen to the music of your harps.
24. But let justice flow like water,and righteousness, like an unfailing stream.