1Hear this word which I take up over you, a lamentation, O house of Israel:
2She is fallen, she shall not rise again, the virgin of Israel; she is forsaken upon her ground (adamah), there is none to raise her up.
3For thus says my Lord (Adonai) YHWH, "The city that goes out a thousand shall have a hundred left, and that which goes out a hundred shall have ten left, to the house of Israel."
4For thus says YHWH to the house of Israel, "Seek me, and live (chai).
5But do not seek Beth-el, and do not enter Gilgal, and do not pass over to Beer-sheba; for Gilgal shall surely go into exile, and Beth-el shall come to nought.
6Seek YHWH, and live (chai), lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and it devour, and there be none to quench it for Beth-el.
7O you who turn judgment (mishpat) to wormwood, and cast down righteousness to the earth!
8He that makes the Pleiades and Orion, and turns the shadow of death into the morning, and darkens the day into night; that calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out upon the face of the earth — YHWH is his name;
9he that flashes destruction upon the strong, and destruction comes upon the fortress.
10They hate him that reproves in the gate, and they abhor him that speaks with integrity.
11Therefore, because you trample upon the poor, and take from him a tribute of grain — you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not dwell in them; you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine.
12For I know how many are your transgressions, and how mighty are your sins — you that afflict the righteous, that take a bribe, and turn aside the needy in the gate.
13Therefore the prudent shall keep silent in that time, for it is an evil time.
14Seek good, and not evil, that you may live (chai); and so YHWH, the God of hosts (tzevaot), will be with you, as you have said.
15Hate evil, and love good, and establish judgment (mishpat) in the gate; perhaps YHWH, the God of hosts (tzevaot), will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.
16Therefore thus says YHWH, the God of hosts (tzevaot), my Lord (Adonai), "In all the broad places shall be wailing, and in all the streets they shall say, 'Alas! alas!' and they shall call the farmer to mourning, and wailing to those skilled in lamentation.
17And in all vineyards shall be wailing, for I will pass through your midst," says YHWH.
18Woe to you who desire the day of YHWH! Why would you have the day of YHWH? It is darkness, and not light.
19As when a man (ish) flees from a lion, and a bear meets him; and he comes into the house, and leans his hand on the wall, and a serpent bites him.
20Shall not the day of YHWH be darkness, and not light? Even gloom, and no brightness in it?
21"I hate, I despise your feasts (chagim), and I will take no delight in your solemn assemblies.
22For though you offer me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the peace offering of your fatlings I will not regard.
23Take away from me the noise of your songs, and the melody of your harps I will not hear.
24But let judgment (mishpat) roll down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.
25Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel?
26And you shall lift up Sikkuth your king, and Kiyyun your images, the star of your god, which you made for yourselves —
27therefore I will cause you to go into exile beyond Damascus," says YHWH, whose name is the God of hosts (tzevaot).