Micah 2

Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.

Beware, those who plot wickedness and scheme evil in their sleep! At dawn, they carry out their plans, for they have the power to do so.

And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.

They greedily desire lands, seizing them forcefully; they steal homes, leaving none safe. Thus, they cruelly rob a person of their home and even their legacy.

Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks; neither shall ye go haughtily: for this time is evil.

The Lord declares, "I am planning disaster against this family, a yoke you will not be able to pull your necks out of. You won't walk around proudly anymore, for it will be a time of calamity."

In that day shall one take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, and say, We be utterly spoiled: he hath changed the portion of my people: how hath he removed it from me! turning away he hath divided our fields.

On that day, people will speak against you, mourning deeply, saying, "We are completely ruined! Our shared blessings have been taken away, our lands divided. How could this happen?"

Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot in the congregation of the LORD.

So, none of you will be left in the Lord's assembly to receive a share when the land is measured out by lot.

Prophesy ye not, say they to them that prophesy: they shall not prophesy to them, that they shall not take shame.

"Don't prophesy," they tell the prophets. "Don't preach about these things; disgrace will not come upon us."

O thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the spirit of the LORD straitened? are these his doings? do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?

You who are called the house of Jacob, does God's spirit ever limit itself? Are these actions His? Doesn't His message bring goodness to those who live righteously?

Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye pull off the robe with the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse from war.

Recently, my people have turned against me, acting as enemies. They strip the peaceful passersby of their clothes, treating them as if they are ready for war.

The women of my people have ye cast out from their pleasant houses; from their children have ye taken away my glory for ever.

You've cruelly evicted the women of my tribe from their beloved homes, and stolen the joy of their children, robbing my honor eternally.

Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction.

Get up and leave, this place isn't your resting place. It's defiled, and it will destroy you, a terrible destruction.

If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.

If a man, full of wind and lies, promises you sermons about wine and strong drink, he's just the kind of prophet this people would want.

I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men.

I promise, Jacob, to gather all of you; I will bring together the remaining people of Israel. Like a shepherd gathering his flock, I will unite you. Together, your voices will rise, echoing loudly due to your vast numbers.

The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the LORD on the head of them.

The leader has risen and guided them; they've shattered barriers, journeyed through the gate, and moved beyond it. Their king leads the way, with the Lord's presence hovering protectively over them.