Chapter 5
1 Listen to this word which I take up for a lamentation over you , O house of Israel :
2 " The virgin of Israel has fallen ; She shall rise no more . She is cast down on her land; there is no one to raise her up ."
3 For the Lord GOD says : " The city that went out a thousand shall have a hundred left , and that which went out one hundred shall have ten left to the house of Israel ."
4 For the LORD says to the house of Israel : " Seek me , and you will live ;
5 but don’t seek Bethel , nor enter into Gilgal , and don’t pass to Beersheba; for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity , and Bethel shall come to nothing .
6 Seek the LORD , and you will live , lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph , and it devour, and there be no one to quench it in Bethel .
7 You who turn justice to wormwood , and cast down righteousness to the earth!
8 Seek him who made the Pleiades and Orion , and turns the shadow of death into the morning , and makes the day dark with night ; who calls for the waters of the sea , and pours them out on the surface of the earth, the LORD is his name ,
9 who brings sudden destruction on the strong , so that destruction comes on the fortress .
10 They hate him who reproves in the gate , and they abhor him who speaks blamelessly .
11 Therefore , because you trample on the poor and take taxes from him of wheat , you have built houses of cut stone , but you will not dwell in them . You have planted pleasant vineyards , but you shall not drink their wine .
12 For I know how many are your offences, and how great are your sins — you who afflict the just , who take a bribe , and who turn away the needy in the courts .
13 Therefore a prudent person keeps silent in such a time , for it is an evil time .
14 Seek good , and not evil , that you may live ; and so the LORD , the God of Armies , will be with you , as you say.
15 Hate evil , love good , and establish justice in the courts . It may be that the LORD , the God of Armies , will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph ."
16 Therefore the LORD , the God of Armies , the Lord , says : " Wailing will be in all the wide ways . They will say in all the streets , ‘ Alas ! Alas !’ They will call the farmer to mourning , and those who are skilful in lamentation to wailing .
17 In all vineyards there will be wailing , for I will pass through the middle of you ," says the LORD .
18 " Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD ! Why do you long for the day of the LORD ? It is darkness , and not light.
19 As if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him ; or he went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall , and a snake bit him .
20 Won’t the day of the LORD be darkness , and not light ? Even very dark , and no brightness in it ?
21 I hate , I despise your feasts , and I can ’t stand your solemn assemblies .
22 Yes , though you offer me your burnt offerings and meal offerings , I will not accept them ; neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat animals.
23 Take away from me the noise of your songs ! I will not listen to the music of your harps .
24 But let justice roll on like rivers , and righteousness like a mighty stream .
25 " Did you bring to me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years , house of Israel ?
26 You also carried the tent of your king and the shrine of your images , the star of your god, which you made for yourselves .
27 Therefore I will cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus ," says the LORD , whose name is the God of Armies .