1
Hear this word that I lift up over you as a lamentation, House of Yisra’el.
2
Fallen, no more to rise, is the virgin Yisra’el. She is forsaken upon her land, with none to raise her up.
3
For thus says Adonai Yahuah: “The city that goes out by a thousand shall have a hundred left, and the one that goes out by a hundred shall have ten left, for the House of Yisra’el.”
4
For thus says Yahuah to the House of Yisra’el: “Seek Me and live.
5
But do not seek Beit-El, and do not enter Gilgal, and do not pass over to Be’er-Sheva. For Gilgal shall surely go into exile, and Beit-El shall become nothing.
6
Seek Yahuah and live, lest He break out like fire against the House of Yosef and consume it, with none at Beit-El to quench it.
7
You who turn Judgment into wormwood and cast Righteousness to the ground—
8
He who made Kimah and Kesil, who turns deep darkness into morning and darkens day into night, who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them upon the face of the earth— Yahuah is His Name.
9
He flashes destruction upon the strong, and destruction comes upon the fortress.
10
They hate the one who rebukes in the gate, and they abhor the one who speaks truth.
11
Therefore, because you trample upon the poor and take from him a tribute of grain, houses of hewn stone you have built, but you shall not dwell in them. Pleasant vineyards you have planted, but you shall not drink their wine.
12
For I know your many transgressions and your mighty sins— you who afflict the righteous, who take a ransom, and turn aside the needy in the gate.
13
Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time, for it is an evil time.
14
Seek good and not evil, that you may live. And thus Yahuah, Elohim of Hosts, shall be with you as you have said.
15
Hate evil and love good, and establish Judgment in the gate. Perhaps Yahuah, Elohim of Hosts, will show compassion to the remnant of Yosef.
16
Therefore thus says Yahuah, Elohim of Hosts, Adonai: “In all the squares there shall be wailing, and in all the streets they shall say: ‘Alas! Alas!’ And they shall call the farmer to mourning, and those skilled in lamentation to wailing.
17
And in all vineyards there shall be wailing, for I will pass through your midst,” says Yahuah.
18
Woe to those who desire the Day of Yahuah. Why is this the Day of Yahuah for you? It is darkness, and not light.
19
As when an ish flees from a lion and a bear meets him, or he enters the house and rests his hand upon the wall, and a serpent bites him.
20
Is not the Day of Yahuah darkness and not light, even thick darkness with no brightness in it?
21
“I hate, I reject your feasts, and I will not delight in your solemn assemblies.
22
Though you cause ascending offerings and your grain offerings to go up to Me, I will not accept them. And the peace offerings of your fattened animals I will not look upon.
23
Remove from Me the noise of your songs, and the melody of your harps I will not hear.
24
But let Judgment roll down like waters, and Righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
25
Did you bring Me sacrifices and grain offerings in the wilderness forty years, House of Yisra’el?
26
But you carried Sikkut your king and Kiyyun your images, the star of your elohim that you made for yourselves.
27
Therefore I will cause you to go into exile beyond Dammeseq,” says Yahuah, whose Name is Elohim of Hosts.