Therefore, because you impose heavy rent on the poor
And demand a tribute (food-tax) of grain from them,
Though you have built [luxurious] houses of square stone,
You will not live in them;
You have planted beautiful vineyards, but you will not drink their wine.
For I know your transgressions are many and your sins are great (shocking, innumerable),
You who distress the righteous and take bribes,
And turn away from the poor in the [court of the city] gate [depriving them of justice].
Therefore, he who is prudent and has insight will keep silent at such a [corrupt and evil] time, for it is an evil time [when people will not listen to truth and will disregard those of good character].
¶Seek (long for, require) good and not evil, that you may live;
And so may the LORD God of hosts be with you,
Just as you have said!
Hate evil and love good,
And establish justice in the [court of the city] gate.
Perhaps the LORD God of hosts
Will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph [that is, those who remain after God’s judgment].
Therefore, thus says the LORD God of hosts, the Lord,
“There is wailing in all the public plazas,
And in all the streets they say, ‘Alas! Alas!’
And they call the farmers to mourning [for those who have died]
And professional mourners to wailing.
“And in all vineyards there is wailing,
For I will pass through your midst [in judgment],” says the LORD. [Ex 12:12]
¶Woe (judgment is coming) to you who desire the day of the LORD [expecting rescue from the Gentiles]!
Why would you want the day of the LORD?
It is darkness (judgment) and not light [and rescue and prosperity];
It is as if a man runs from a lion [escaping one danger]
And a bear meets him [so he dies anyway],
Or goes home, and leans with his hand against the wall
And a snake bites him.
Will not the day of the LORD be darkness, instead of light,
Even very dark with no brightness in it?
¶“I hate, I despise and reject your [sacred] feasts,
And I do not take delight in your solemn assemblies.
“Even though you offer Me your burnt offerings and your grain offerings,
I will not accept them;
And I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fattened animals.
“Take the noise of your songs away from Me [they are an irritation]!
I shall not even listen to the melody of your harps.
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