The Hebrew Prophets

Therefore, thus said Jehovah, God of Hosts, the Lord, In all broad places is lamentation, And in all out-places they say, `Alas, alas,' And called the husbandman to mourning, And to lamentation the skilful of wailing.

And in all vineyards is lamentation, For I pass into thy midst, said Jehovah.

Ho, ye who are desiring the day of Jehovah, Why is this to you--the day of Jehovah? It is darkness, and not light,

As when one fleeth from the face of the lion, And the bear hath met him, And he hath come in to the house, And hath leant his hand on the wall, And the serpent hath bitten him.

Is not the day of Jehovah darkness and not light, Even thick darkness that hath no brightness?

I have hated--I have loathed your festivals, And I am not refreshed by your restraints.

For though ye cause burnt-offerings and your presents to ascend to Me, I am not pleased, And the peace-offering of your fatlings I behold not.

Turn aside from Me the noise of thy songs, Yea, the praise of thy psaltery I hear not.

And roll on as waters doth judgment, And righteousness as a perennial stream.

Sacrifices and offering did ye bring nigh to Me, In a wilderness forty years, O house of Israel?

And ye bare Succoth your king, and Chiun your images, The star of your god, that ye made for yourselves.

And I removed you beyond Damascus, Said Jehovah, God of Hosts is His name.

Woe to those secure in Zion, And those confident in the mount of Samaria, The marked of the chief of the nations, And come to them have the house of Israel.

Pass ye over to Calneh and see, And go thence to Hamath the great, And go down to Gath of the Philistines, Are they better than these kingdoms? Greater is their border than your border?

Who are putting away the day of evil, And ye bring nigh the seat of violence,

Who are lying down on beds of ivory, And are spread out on their couches, And are eating lambs from the flock, And calves from the midst of the stall,

Who are taking part according to the psaltery, Like David they invented for themselves instruments of music;

Who are drinking with bowls of wine, And with chief perfumes anoint themselves , And have not been pained for the breach of Joseph.

Therefore now they remove at the head of the captives, And turned aside is the mourning-feast of stretched-out ones.

Sworn hath the Lord Jehovah by Himself, An affirmation of Jehovah, God of Hosts: I am abominating the excellency of Jacob, And his high places I have hated, And I have delivered up the city and its fulness.

And if there are left ten persons in one house, It hath come to pass--that they have died.

And lifted him up hath his loved one, even his burner, To bring forth the bones from the house, And he said to him who is in the sides of the house, `Is there yet with thee?' And he said, `None,' then he said, `Hush! Save to make mention of the name of Jehovah.'

For lo, Jehovah is commanding, And He hath smitten the great house with breaches, And the little house with clefts.

Do horses run on a rock? Doth one plough it with oxen? For ye have turned to gall judgment, And the fruit of righteousness to wormwood.

O ye who are rejoicing at nothing, Who are saying, `Have we not by our strength taken to ourselves horns?'