1 Hear ye this word which I take up for a lamentation over you, O house of Israel.

1 שִׁמְע֞וּ אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָנֹכִ֜י נֹשֵׂ֧א עֲלֵיכֶ֛ם קִינָ֖ה בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

2 The virgin of Israel is fallen; she shall no more rise: she is cast down upon her land; there is none to raise her up.

2 נָֽפְלָה֙ לֹֽא־תֹוסִ֣יף ק֔וּם בְּתוּלַ֖ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל נִטְּשָׁ֥ה עַל־אַדְמָתָ֖הּ אֵ֥ין מְקִימָֽהּ׃

3 For thus saith the Lord Jehovah: The city that went forth a thousand shall have a hundred left, and that which went forth a hundred shall have ten left, to the house of Israel.

3 כִּ֣י כֹ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה הָעִ֛יר הַיֹּצֵ֥את אֶ֖לֶף תַּשְׁאִ֣יר מֵאָ֑ה וְהַיֹּוצֵ֥את מֵאָ֛ה תַּשְׁאִ֥יר עֲשָׂרָ֖ה לְבֵ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

4 For thus saith Jehovah unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live;

4 כִּ֣י כֹ֥ה אָמַ֛ר יְהוָ֖ה לְבֵ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל דִּרְשׁ֖וּנִי וִֽחְיֽוּ׃

5 but 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.

5 וְאַֽל־תִּדְרְשׁוּ֙ בֵּֽית־אֵ֔ל וְהַגִּלְגָּל֙ לֹ֣א תָבֹ֔אוּ וּבְאֵ֥ר שֶׁ֖בַע לֹ֣א תַעֲבֹ֑רוּ כִּ֤י הַגִּלְגָּל֙ גָּלֹ֣ה יִגְלֶ֔ה וּבֵֽית־אֵ֖ל יִהְיֶ֥ה לְאָֽוֶן׃

6 Seek Jehovah, and ye shall live; lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and it devour, and there be none to quench it in Beth-el.

6 דִּרְשׁ֥וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֖ה וִֽחְי֑וּ פֶּן־יִצְלַ֤ח כָּאֵשׁ֙ בֵּ֣ית יֹוסֵ֔ף וְאָכְלָ֥ה וְאֵין־מְכַבֶּ֖ה לְבֵֽית־אֵֽל׃

7 Ye who turn justice to wormwood, and cast down righteousness to the earth,

7 הַהֹפְכִ֥ים לְלַעֲנָ֖ה מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּצְדָקָ֖ה לָאָ֥רֶץ הִנִּֽיחוּ׃

8 `seek him' that maketh the Pleiades 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 (Jehovah is his name);

8 עֹשֵׂ֨ה כִימָ֜ה וּכְסִ֗יל וְהֹפֵ֤ךְ לַבֹּ֙קֶר֙ צַלְמָ֔וֶת וְיֹ֖ום לַ֣יְלָה הֶחְשִׁ֑יךְ הַקֹּורֵ֣א לְמֵֽי־הַיָּ֗ם וַֽיִּשְׁפְּכֵ֛ם עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָאָ֖רֶץ יְהוָ֥ה שְׁמֹֽו׃

9 that bringeth sudden destruction upon the strong, so that destruction cometh upon the fortress.

9 הַמַּבְלִ֥יג שֹׁ֖ד עַל־עָ֑ז וְשֹׁ֖ד עַל־מִבְצָ֥ר יָבֹֽוא׃

10 They hate him that reproveth in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly.

10 שָׂנְא֥וּ בַשַּׁ֖עַר מֹוכִ֑יחַ וְדֹבֵ֥ר תָּמִ֖ים יְתָעֵֽבוּ׃

11 Forasmuch therefore as ye trample upon the poor, and take exactions from him 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 the wine thereof.

11 לָ֠כֵן יַ֣עַן בֹּושַׁסְכֶ֞ם עַל־דָּ֗ל וּמַשְׂאַת־בַּר֙ תִּקְח֣וּ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ בָּתֵּ֥י גָזִ֛ית בְּנִיתֶ֖ם וְלֹא־תֵ֣שְׁבוּ בָ֑ם כַּרְמֵי־חֶ֣מֶד נְטַעְתֶּ֔ם וְלֹ֥א תִשְׁתּ֖וּ אֶת־יֵינָֽם׃

12 For I know how manifold are your transgressions, and how mighty are your sins-ye that afflict the just, that take a bribe, and that turn aside the needy in the gate `from their right'.

12 כִּ֤י יָדַ֙עְתִּי֙ רַבִּ֣ים פִּשְׁעֵיכֶ֔ם וַעֲצֻמִ֖ים חַטֹּֽאתֵיכֶ֑ם צֹרְרֵ֤י צַדִּיק֙ לֹ֣קְחֵי כֹ֔פֶר וְאֶבְיֹונִ֖ים בַּשַּׁ֥עַר הִטּֽוּ׃

13 Therefore he that is prudent shall keep silence in such a time; for it is an evil time.

13 לָכֵ֗ן הַמַּשְׂכִּ֛יל בָּעֵ֥ת הַהִ֖יא יִדֹּ֑ם כִּ֛י עֵ֥ת רָעָ֖ה הִֽיא׃

14 Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live; and so Jehovah, the God of hosts, will be with you, as ye say.

14 דִּרְשׁוּ־טֹ֥וב וְאַל־רָ֖ע לְמַ֣עַן תִּֽחְי֑וּ וִיהִי־כֵ֞ן יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֵֽי־צְבָאֹ֛ות אִתְּכֶ֖ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲמַרְתֶּֽם׃

15 Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish justice in the gate: it may be that Jehovah, the God of hosts, will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.

15 שִׂנְאוּ־רָע֙ וְאֶ֣הֱבוּ טֹ֔וב וְהַצִּ֥יגוּ בַשַּׁ֖עַר מִשְׁפָּ֑ט אוּלַ֗י יֶֽחֱנַ֛ן יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽי־צְבָאֹ֖ות שְׁאֵרִ֥ית יֹוסֵֽף׃

16 Therefore thus saith Jehovah, the God of hosts, the Lord: Wailing shall be in all the broad ways; and they shall say in all the streets, Alas! Alas! and they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and such as are skilful in lamentation to wailing.

16 לָ֠כֵן כֹּֽה־אָמַ֨ר יְהוָ֜ה אֱלֹהֵ֤י צְבָאֹות֙ אֲדֹנָ֔י בְּכָל־רְחֹבֹ֣ות מִסְפֵּ֔ד וּבְכָל־חוּצֹ֖ות יֹאמְר֣וּ הֹו־הֹ֑ו וְקָרְא֤וּ אִכָּר֙ אֶל־אֵ֔בֶל וּמִסְפֵּ֖ד אֶל־יֹ֥ודְעֵי נֶֽהִי׃

17 And in all vineyards shall be wailing; for I will pass through the midst of thee, saith Jehovah.

17 וּבְכָל־כְּרָמִ֖ים מִסְפֵּ֑ד כִּֽי־אֶעֱבֹ֥ר בְּקִרְבְּךָ֖ אָמַ֥ר יְהוָֽה׃

18 Woe unto you that desire the day of Jehovah! Wherefore would ye have the day of Jehovah? It is darkness, and not light.

18 הֹ֥וי הַמִּתְאַוִּ֖ים אֶת־יֹ֣ום יְהוָ֑ה לָמָּה־זֶּ֥ה לָכֶ֛ם יֹ֥ום יְהוָ֖ה הוּא־חֹ֥שֶׁךְ וְלֹא־אֹֽור׃

19 As 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.

19 כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר יָנ֥וּס אִישׁ֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י הָאֲרִ֔י וּפְגָעֹ֖ו הַדֹּ֑ב וּבָ֣א הַבַּ֔יִת וְסָמַ֤ךְ יָדֹו֙ עַל־הַקִּ֔יר וּנְשָׁכֹ֖ו הַנָּחָֽשׁ׃

20 Shall not the day of Jehovah be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?

20 הֲלֹא־חֹ֛שֶׁךְ יֹ֥ום יְהוָ֖ה וְלֹא־אֹ֑ור וְאָפֵ֖ל וְלֹא־נֹ֥גַֽהּ לֹֽו׃

21 I hate, I despise your feasts, and I will take no delight in your solemn assemblies.

21 שָׂנֵ֥אתִי מָאַ֖סְתִּי חַגֵּיכֶ֑ם וְלֹ֥א אָרִ֖יחַ בְּעַצְּרֹֽתֵיכֶֽם׃

22 Yea, though ye offer me your burnt-offerings and meal-offerings, I will not accept them; neither will I regard the peace-offerings of your fat beasts.

22 כִּ֣י אִם־תַּעֲלוּ־לִ֥י עֹלֹ֛ות וּמִנְחֹתֵיכֶ֖ם לֹ֣א אֶרְצֶ֑ה וְשֶׁ֥לֶם מְרִיאֵיכֶ֖ם לֹ֥א אַבִּֽיט׃

23 Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols.

23 הָסֵ֥ר מֵעָלַ֖י הֲמֹ֣ון שִׁרֶ֑יךָ וְזִמְרַ֥ת נְבָלֶ֖יךָ לֹ֥א אֶשְׁמָֽע׃

24 But let justice roll down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.

24 וְיִגַּ֥ל כַּמַּ֖יִם מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּצְדָקָ֖ה כְּנַ֥חַל אֵיתָֽן׃

25 Did ye bring unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel?

25 הַזְּבָחִ֨ים וּמִנְחָ֜ה הִֽגַּשְׁתֶּם־לִ֧י בַמִּדְבָּ֛ר אַרְבָּעִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

26 Yea, ye have borne the tabernacle of your king and the shrine of your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves.

26 וּנְשָׂאתֶ֗ם אֵ֚ת סִכּ֣וּת מַלְכְּכֶ֔ם וְאֵ֖ת כִּיּ֣וּן צַלְמֵיכֶ֑ם כֹּוכַב֙ אֱלֹ֣הֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר עֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם לָכֶֽם׃

27 Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus, saith Jehovah, whose name is the God of hosts.

27 וְהִגְלֵיתִ֥י אֶתְכֶ֖ם מֵהָ֣לְאָה לְדַמָּ֑שֶׂק אָמַ֛ר יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽי־צְבָאֹ֖ות שְׁמֹֽו׃