1Hear ye this word which I take up against you, even a lamentation, O house of Israel. Many Bible Versions
2The virgin of Israel is fallen; she shall no more rise: she is forsaken upon her land; there is none to raise her up. Many Bible Versions
3For thus saith the Lord God; The city that went out by a thousand shall leave an hundred, and that which went forth by an hundred shall leave ten, to the house of Israel. Many Bible Versions
4For thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live: Many Bible Versions
5But seek not Beth–el, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beer–sheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Beth–el shall come to nought. Many Bible Versions
6Seek the Lord, and ye shall live; lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour it, and there be none to quench it in Beth–el. Many Bible Versions
7Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth, Many Bible Versions
8Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The Lord is his name: Many Bible Versions
9That strengtheneth the spoiled against the strong, so that the spoiled shall come against the fortress. Many Bible Versions
10They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly. Many Bible Versions
11Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor, and ye take from him burdens of wheat: ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink wine of them. Many Bible Versions
12For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right. Many Bible Versions
13Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it is an evil time. Many Bible Versions
14Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the Lord, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken. Many Bible Versions
15Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the Lord God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph. Many Bible Versions
16Therefore the Lord, the God of hosts, the Lord, saith thus; Wailing shall be in all streets; and they shall say in all the highways, Alas! alas! and they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and such as are skilful of lamentation to wailing. Many Bible Versions
17And in all vineyards shall be wailing: for I will pass through thee, saith the Lord. Many Bible Versions
18Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! to what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is darkness, and not light. Many Bible Versions
19As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. Many Bible Versions
20Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it? Many Bible Versions
21I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. Many Bible Versions
22Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts. Many Bible Versions
23Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols. Many Bible Versions
24But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream. Many Bible Versions
25Have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel? Many Bible Versions
26But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves. Many Bible Versions
27Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus, saith the Lord, whose name is The God of hosts. Many Bible Versions