51 Hear this word which I take up for you as a dirge , O house of Israel : 2 She has fallen , she will not rise again - The virgin Israel . She lies neglected on her land ; There is none to raise her up. 3 For thus says the Lord GOD , "The city which goes forth a thousand strong Will have a hundred left , And the one which goes forth a hundred strong Will have ten left to the house of Israel ."
4 For thus says the Lord to the house of Israel , " Seek Me that you may live . 5 "But do not resort to Bethel And do not come to Gilgal , Nor cross over to Beersheba ; For Gilgal will certainly go into captivity And Bethel will come to trouble . 6 " Seek the Lord that you may live , Or He will break forth like a fire , O house of Joseph , And it will consume with none to quench it for Bethel , 7 For those who turn justice into wormwood And cast righteousness down to the earth ." 8 He who made the Pleiades and Orion And changes deep darkness into morning , Who also darkens day into night , Who calls for the waters of the sea And pours them out on the surface of the earth , The Lord is His name . 9 It is He who flashes forth with destruction upon the strong , So that destruction comes upon the fortress . 10 They hate him who reproves in the gate , And they abhor him who speaks with integrity . 11 Therefore because you impose heavy rent on the poor And exact a tribute of grain from them, Though you have built houses of well-hewn stone , Yet you will not live in them; You have planted pleasant vineyards , yet you will not drink their wine . 12 For I know your transgressions are many and your sins are great , You who distress the righteous and accept bribes And turn aside the poor in the gate . 13 Therefore at such a time the prudent person keeps silent , for it is an evil time . 14 Seek good and not evil , that you may live ; And thus may the Lord God of hosts be with you, Just as you have said ! 15 Hate evil , love good , And establish justice in the gate ! Perhaps the Lord God of hosts May be gracious to the remnant of Joseph .
16 Therefore thus says the Lord God of hosts , the Lord , "There is wailing in all the plazas , And in all the streets they say , 'Alas ! Alas !' They also call the farmer to mourning And professional mourners to lamentation . 17 "And in all the vineyards there is wailing , Because I will pass through the midst of you," says the Lord . 18 Alas , you who are longing for the day of the Lord , For what purpose will the day of the Lord be to you? It will be darkness and not light ; 19 As when a man flees from a lion And a bear meets him, Or goes home , leans his hand against the wall And a snake bites him. 20 Will not the day of the Lord be darkness instead of light , Even gloom with no brightness in it?
21 "I hate , I reject your festivals , Nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies . 22 "Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings , I will not accept them; And I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fatlings . 23 "Take away from Me the noise of your songs ; I will not even listen to the sound of your harps . 24 "But let justice roll down like waters And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream . 25 " Did you present Me with sacrifices and grain offerings in the wilderness for forty years , O house of Israel ? 26 " You also carried along Sikkuth your king and Kiyyun , your images , the star of your gods which you made for yourselves. 27 "Therefore, I will make you go into exile beyond e Damascus ," says the Lord , whose name is the God of hosts .
