CHAPTER 2
1 Woe to you, that think unprofitable thing, and work evil in your beds; in the morrowtide light they do it, for the hand of them is against God.
2 They coveted fields, and took violently; and ravished houses, and falsely challenged a man and his house, a man and his heritage.
3 Therefore the Lord saith these things, Lo! I think on this meine evil, from which ye shall not take away your necks; and ye shall not walk proud, for the worst time is.
4 In that day a parable shall be taken on you, and a song shall be sung with sweetness of men, saying, By robbing we be destroyed; a part of my people is changed; how shall he go away from me, when he turneth again that shall part your countries?
5 For this thing, none shall be to thee sending a little cord of lot, in company of the Lord.
6 A! thou Israel, speak ye not speaking; it shall not drop a word on these men, confusion shall not catch,
7 saith the house of Jacob. Whether the Spirit of the Lord is abridged, either such be the thoughts of him? Whether my words be not good, with him that goeth rightly?
8 And on the contrary, my people rose together into an adversary; ye took away the mantle above the coat, and ye turned into battle them that went simply.
9 Ye casted the women of my people out of the house of their delights; from the little children of them ye took away my praising without end.
10 Rise ye, and go, for here ye have no rest; for the uncleanness thereof it shall be corrupted with the worst rot.
11 I would that I were not a man having spirit, and rather that I spake a leasing. I shall drop a word to thee into wine, and into drunkenness; and this people shall be, on whom it is dropped.
12 With gathering I shall gather Jacob; I shall lead together thee all into one, the remnants of Israel. I shall put him together, as a flock in the fold; as sheep in the middle of folds they shall make noise, because of multitude of men.
13 For he shall go up showing the way before them; they shall depart, and pass the gate, and shall go out thereby; and the king of them shall pass before them, and the Lord in the head of them.