Micah 2

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Woe to those who plan iniquity, and work out evil on their couches; In the morning light they accomplish it when it lies within their power.	1 Woe to you who devise useless things and who work evil in your beds. In the morning light, they undertake it, because their hand is against God.
2 They covet fields, and seize them; houses, and they take them; They cheat an owner of his house, a man of his inheritance.	2 And they have desired fields and have taken them by violence, and they have stolen houses. And they have made false accusations against a man and his house, a man and his inheritance.
3 Therefore thus says the LORD: Behold, I am planning against this race an evil from which you shall not withdraw your necks; Nor shall you walk with head high, for it will be a time of evil.	3 For this reason, thus says the Lord: Behold, I devise an evil against this family, from which you will not steal away your necks. And you will not walk in arrogance, because this is a most wicked time.
4 On that day a satire shall be sung over you, and there shall be a plaintive chant: "Our ruin is complete, our fields are portioned out among our captors, The fields of my people are measured out, and no one can get them back!"	4 In that day, a parable will be taken up about you, and a song will be sung with sweetness, saying: “We have been devastated by depopulation.” The fate of my people has been altered. How can he withdraw from me, when he might be turned back, he who might tear apart our country?
5 Thus you shall have no one to mark out boundaries by lot in the assembly of the LORD.	5 Because of this, there will be for you no casting of the cord of fate in the assembly of the Lord.
6 "Preach not," they preach, "let them not preach of these things!" The shame will not withdraw.	6 Do not speak by saying, “It will not drop on these ones; shame will not embrace them.”
7 How can it be said, O house of Jacob, "Is the LORD short of patience, or are such his deeds?" Do not my words promise good to him who walks uprightly?	7 The house of Jacob says, “Has the Spirit of the Lord been weakened, or are such things his thoughts?” Are not my words good for him who walks uprightly?
8 But of late my people has risen up as an enemy: you have stripped off the mantle covering the tunic Of those who go their way in confidence, as though it were spoils of war.	8 But, to the contrary, my people have risen up in opposition. You have lifted the cover from the undergarment, and those who passed by harmlessly, you have converted into war.
9 The women of my people you drive out from their pleasant houses; From their children you take away forever the honor I gave them.	9 You have evicted the women among my people from their delicate houses. You have taken my praise forever from their little ones.
10 "Up! Be off, this is no place to rest"; For any trifle you exact a crippling pledge.	10 Rise and depart, for there is no relief for you here. Because of its uncleanness, it will be corrupted with a most wicked decay.
11 If one, acting on impulse, should make the futile claim: "I pour you wine and strong drink as my prophecy," then he would be the prophet of this people.	11 I wish that I were not a man who has breath, and that I rather spoke a lie. I will drop it down to you in wine and in drunkenness. And it will be this people on whom it will rain down.
12 I will gather you, O Jacob, each and every one, I will assemble all the remnant of Israel; I will group them like a flock in the fold, like a herd in the midst of its corral; they shall not be thrown into panic by men.	12 I will gather together in a congregation all of you, Jacob. I will lead together as one, the remnant of Israel. I will set them together like a flock in the fold, like a sheep in the midst of the sheep pen. They will cause a tumult before the multitude of men.
13 With a leader to break the path they shall burst open the gate and go out through it; Their king shall go through before them, and the LORD at their head.	13 For he will ascend, opening the way before them. They will separate, and they will cross the gate and enter through it. And their king will pass by, before their very eyes, and the Lord will be at their head.