1‘Hear this word - a lamentation - which I take up concerning you, Israel: 2Fallen is the virgin of Israel, never to rise again; she is forsaken in her own land; there is no one to help her rise. 3For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: “The city that marches out with a thousand strong shall have only a hundred left, and the town which went out with a hundred shall have only ten left to Israel.”

4‘For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel: “Seek Me, and you shall live.” 5But do not seek Bethel, or go into Gilgal, nor travel to Beersheba; for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nothing. 6Seek the LORD and live, or else He will break out like fire and devour the house of Joseph, and no one in Bethel will be able to quench it. 7There are those of you who turn justice into bitterness, and treat righteousness like dirt.

8‘Seek Him Who makes the seven stars (Pleiades) and Orion, and turns midnight into the dawn, and darkens the day into night; Who calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out upon the face of the land: The LORD is His name. 9“It is I Who, with a blinding flash, destroys the strongholds and brings fortified cities to ruin.

10“There are those of you who hate honest judges that uphold justice in the gate (court), and detests those that tell the truth. 11You tread upon the poor, and levy heavy tax burdens of his grain. You have built fine stone mansions, but you shall not live in them; you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink wine from them. 12For I know your many transgressions and your grievous sins. There are those of you who afflict the just, take bribes, and deprive the poor of their rights in the gate (court). 13Therefore, the prudent shall keep quiet at such times; for it is an evil time.”

14‘Seek good, and not evil, so that you may live; Then the LORD God Almighty shall be with you, as you have said He is. 15Hate evil, and love the good, and establish and maintain justice in the gate (court); Perhaps the LORD God Almighty will be gracious and merciful to the remnant of Joseph.

16‘Therefore, the LORD Almighty says this: “There shall be wailing in all streets; and cries of dismay in all the public squares, and they shall call the farmers to mourn, along with those skilled in lamenting. 17In all vineyards shall be wailing; for I will pass through your midst”, says the LORD.

18‘Woe to you that desire the day of the LORD! Why do you long for day of the LORD? That day will be darkness, and not light. 19It will be as if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into his house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. 20Shall that day of the LORD not be darkness, rather than light? Pitch black – without a ray of light? 21“I hate, I despise your religious rituals, and your solemn assemblies are a stench to Me. 22Even though you bring Me your burnt and meal (grain) offerings, I will not accept them; nor will I regard your choice peace offerings of fattened beasts. 23Take away from Me the noise of your songs; for I will not listen to the melody of your harps. 24But rather, let justice run down like a river, and righteousness like a never-failing stream. 25Did you offer Me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness for forty years, O house of Israel? 26But you have served your pagan gods – Sakkuth, your king god, and Kaiwan, your star god – the images, you made for yourselves. 27Therefore, will I send you into captivity beyond Damascus”, says the LORD, Whose name is God Almighty.”