Micah 2

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Disaster for those who plot evil, who lie in bed planning mischief! No sooner is it dawn than they do it,since they have the power to do so.	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 Seizing the fields that they covet, they take over houses as wel , owner and house they seize alike, theman himself as wel as 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 So Yahweh says this: Look, I am now plotting a disaster for this breed from which you wil not extricateyour necks; you wil not hold your heads up then, for the times wil be disastrous indeed.	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 That day they wil make a satire on you, they wil strike up a dirge and say, 'We have been stripped ofeverything; my people's land has been divided up, no one else can restore it to them, our fields have beenawarded to our despoiler.'	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 Because of this, you will have no one to measure out a share in Yahweh's community.	5 Because of this, there will be for you no casting of the cord of fate in the assembly of the Lord.
6 'Do not drivel,' they drivel, 'do not drivel like this! Disgrace will not overtake us!	6 Do not speak by saying, “It will not drop on these ones; shame will not embrace them.”
7 'Can the House of Jacob be accursed? Has Yahweh grown short-tempered? Is that his way of going towork? His prophecies can only be favourable for his people Israel!'	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 you are the ones who play the enemy to my people. From the inoffensive man you snatch his cloak,on those who feel safe you inflict the damage 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 My people's women you evict from the homes they love, and deprive the children of my glory for ever,	9 You have evicted the women among my people from their delicate houses. You have taken my praise forever from their little ones.
10 saying, 'Up and off with you! You can't stay here!' For a worthless thing you exact an extortionatepledge.	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 a man of the spirit came and invented this lie, 'I prophesy wine and liquor for you,' he would be theprophet for a people like this.	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 shall assemble the whole of Jacob, I shal gather the remnant of Israel, I shal gather them togetherlike sheep in an enclosure. And like a flock within their fold, they will bleat far away from anyone,	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 their leader wil break out first, then al break out through the gate and escape, with their king leadingthe way and with Yahweh 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.