5:1  Hear this word which I take up for you as a dirge, O house of Israel:

5:2  She has fallen, she will not rise again-- The virgin Israel. She {lies} neglected on her land; There is none to raise her up.

5:3  For thus says the Lord GOD, "The city which goes forth a thousand {strong} Will have a hundred left, And the one which goes forth a hundred {strong} Will have ten left to the house of Israel."

5:4  For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel, "Seek Me that you may live.

5:5  "But do not resort to Bethel And do not come to Gilgal, Nor cross over to Beersheba; For Gilgal will certainly go into captivity And Bethel will come to trouble.

5:6  "Seek the LORD that you may live, Or He will break forth like a fire, O house of Joseph, And it will consume with none to quench {it} for Bethel,

5:7  {For} those who turn justice into wormwood And cast righteousness down to the earth."

5:8  He who made the Pleiades and Orion And changes deep darkness into morning, Who also darkens day {into} night, Who calls for the waters of the sea And pours them out on the surface of the earth, The LORD is His name.

5:9  It is He who flashes forth {with} destruction upon the strong, So that destruction comes upon the fortress.

5:10  They hate him who reproves in the gate, And they abhor him who speaks {with} integrity.

5:11  Therefore because you impose heavy rent on the poor And exact a tribute of grain from them, {Though} you have built houses of well-hewn stone, Yet you will not live in them; You have planted pleasant vineyards, yet you will not drink their wine.

5:12  For I know your transgressions are many and your sins are great, {You} who distress the righteous {and} accept bribes And turn aside the poor in the gate.

5:13  Therefore at such a time the prudent person keeps silent, for it is an evil time.

5:14  Seek good and not evil, that you may live; And thus may the LORD God of hosts be with you, Just as you have said!

5:15  Hate evil, love good, And establish justice in the gate! Perhaps the LORD God of hosts May be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.

5:16  Therefore thus says the LORD God of hosts, the Lord, "There is wailing in all the plazas, And in all the streets they say, `Alas! Alas!' They also call the farmer to mourning And professional mourners to lamentation.

5:17  "And in all the vineyards {there is} wailing, Because I will pass through the midst of you, says the LORD."

5:18  Alas, you who are longing for the day of the LORD, For what purpose {will} the day of the LORD {be} to you? It {will be} darkness and not light;

5:19  As when a man flees from a lion And a bear meets him, Or goes home, leans his hand against the wall And a snake bites him.

5:20  {Will} not the day of the LORD {be} darkness instead of light, Even gloom with no brightness in it?

5:21  "I hate, I reject your festivals, Nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies.

5:22  "Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept {them;} And I will not {even} look at the peace offerings of your fatlings.

5:23  "Take away from Me the noise of your songs; I will not even listen to the sound of your harps.

5:24  "But let justice roll down like waters And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

5:25  "Did you present Me with sacrifices and grain offerings in the wilderness for forty years, O house of Israel?

5:26  "You also carried along Sikkuth your king and Kiyyun, your images, the star of your gods which you made for yourselves.

5:27  "Therefore, I will make you go into exile beyond Damascus, says the LORD, whose name is the God of hosts."