1 Hear8085 you this2088 word1697 which834 I take5375 up against5921 you, even a lamentation,7015 O house1004 of Israel.3478

2 The virgin1330 of Israel3478 is fallen;5307 she shall no3808 more5750 rise:6965 she is forsaken5203 on her land;127 there is none369 to raise6965 her up.

3 For thus3541 said559 the Lord136 GOD;3069 The city5892 that went3318 out by a thousand505 shall leave7604 an hundred,3967 and that which went3318 forth3318 by an hundred3967 shall leave7604 ten,6235 to the house1004 of Israel.3478

4 For thus3541 said559 the LORD3068 to the house1004 of Israel,3478 Seek1875 you me, and you shall live:2421

5 But seek1875 not Bethel,1008 nor3808 enter935 into Gilgal,1537 and pass5674 not to Beersheba:884 for Gilgal1537 shall surely go into captivity,1540 and Bethel1008 shall come1961 to nothing.205

6 Seek1875 the LORD,3068 and you shall live;2421 lest6435 he break6743 out like fire784 in the house1004 of Joseph,3130 and devour398 it, and there be none369 to quench3518 it in Bethel.1008

7 You who turn2015 judgment4941 to wormwood,3939 and leave5117 off righteousness6666 in the earth,776

8 Seek him that makes6213 the seven3598 stars3598 and Orion,3685 and turns2015 the shadow6757 of death6757 into the morning,1242 and makes the day3117 dark2821 with night:3915 that calls7121 for the waters4325 of the sea,3220 and pours8210 them out on the face6440 of the earth:776 The LORD3068 is his name:8034

9 That strengthens1082 the spoiled7701 against5921 the strong,5794 so that the spoiled7701 shall come935 against5921 the fortress.4013

10 They hate8130 him that rebukes3198 in the gate,8179 and they abhor8581 him that speaks1696 uprightly.8549

11 For as much3282 therefore3651 as your treading1318 is on the poor,1800 and you take3947 from him burdens4864 of wheat:1250 you have built1129 houses1004 of hewn1496 stone,1496 but you shall not dwell3427 in them; you have planted5193 pleasant2531 vineyards,3754 but you shall not drink8354 wine3196 of them.

12 For I know3045 your manifold7227 transgressions 6588and your mighty6099 sins:2403 they afflict6887 the just,6662 they take3947 a bribe,3724 and they turn5186 aside5186 the poor34 in the gate8179 from their right.

13 Therefore3651 the prudent7919 shall keep silence1826 in that time;6256 for it is an evil7451 time.6256

14 Seek1875 good,2896 and not evil,7451 that you may live:2421 and so3651 the LORD,3068 the God430 of hosts,6635 shall be with you, as you have spoken.559

15 Hate8130 the evil,7451 and love157 the good,2896 and establish3322 judgment4941 in the gate:8179 it may be that the LORD3068 God430 of hosts6635 will be gracious2587 to the remnant7611 of Joseph.3130

16 Therefore3651 the LORD,3068 the God430 of hosts,6635 the LORD,136 said559 thus;3541 Wailing4553 shall be in all3605 streets;7339 and they shall say559 in all3605 the highways,2351 Alas!1930 alas!1930 and they shall call7121 the farmer406 to mourning,60 and such as are skillful3045 of lamentation5092 to wailing.4553

17 And in all3605 vineyards3754 shall be wailing:4553 for I will pass5674 through7130 you, said559 the LORD.3068

18 Woe1945 to you that desire183 the day3117 of the LORD!3068 to what4100 end is it for you? the day3117 of the LORD3068 is darkness,2822 and not light.216

19 As if834 a man376 did flee5127 from a lion,738 and a bear1677 met6293 him; or went935 into the house,1004 and leaned5564 his hand3027 on5921 the wall,7023 and a serpent5175 bit5391 him.

20 Shall not the day3117 of the LORD3068 be darkness,2822 and not light?216 even very651 dark,651 and no3808 brightness5051 in it?

21 I hate,8130 I despise3988 your feast2282 days, and I will not smell7306 in your solemn6116 assemblies.6116

22 Though3588 518 you offer5927 me burnt5930 offerings 4503and your meat offerings, I will not accept7521 them: neither3808 will I regard5027 the peace8002 offerings of your fat4806 beasts.4806

23 Take5493 you away5493 from me the noise1995 of your songs;7892 for I will not hear8085 the melody2172 of your viols.5035

24 But let judgment4941 run1556 down as waters,4325 and righteousness6666 as a mighty386 stream.5158

25 Have you offered5066 to me sacrifices2077 and offerings4503 in the wilderness4057 forty705 years,8141 O house1004 of Israel?3478

26 But you have borne5375 the tabernacle5522 of your Moloch4432 and Chiun3594 your images,6754 the star3556 of your god,430 which834 you made6213 to yourselves.

27 Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity1540 beyond1973 Damascus,1834 said559 the LORD,3068 whose name8034 is The God430 of hosts.6635