Straffen for undertrykkelse
1Ve jer, der misbruger jeres magt
og undertrykker de svage.
Om natten udtænker I onde planer
og fører dem ud i livet, så snart det bliver lyst.
2I begærer jeres nabos hus og marker
og overtager dem uden at have skrupler.
I tilraner jer andre folks ejendom,
som er gået i arv fra deres forfædre.
3Derfor siger jeg, Herren:
„Også jeg har udtænkt en plan
som straf for al jeres ondskab.
Jeg vil lægge et tungt åg på jeres skuldre,
og så er det jer, der kommer ned med nakken.”
4Når det sker, vil jeres fjender håne jer
ved at synge en klagesang for jer:
„Åh, vi er helt knust,
for Guds folk har mistet sit land.
Herren har selv taget det fra os
og delt det ud til ugudelige folkeslag.”
5I, der har undertrykt andre,
får ikke arvelod blandt Guds folk.
6„Hold op med dine dommedagsprædikener,” siger folk.
„Det kunne Gud da aldrig få sig selv til at gøre!”
7Har Herren ikke været tålmodig med jer, Israels folk?
Er det hans skyld, at han bliver nødt til at straffe jer?
For de, der gør det gode,
er det godt at høre profetens ord.
8Herren siger: „I, som er mit folk,
er nu blevet mine fjender.
I kræver den fattiges kappe som betaling for et lån
og river tøjet af folk, der går fredeligt på gaden.
9I smider enker ud af deres hjem
og fratager faderløse børn deres værdighed.
10I har gjort landet urent med jeres synd,
derfor kommer ulykken over jer.
I bliver sendt bort fra det land, jeg gav jer,
et land, hvor der skulle være ro og fred.
11For I vil kun høre på løgneprofeter,
der lover jer fest og glade dage.
Et løfte om genoprettelse
12Engang vil jeg kalde Israels folk sammen,
for jeg vil samle den tiloversblevne rest.
Jeg vil lede dem som en mægtig fåreflok
på vej til en frodig græsmark.
Der bliver et mylder af glade mennesker.
13Jeg nedbryder fangenskabets port
og fører mit folk hjem til deres eget land.
Kongen selv går foran dem,
Herren vil lede dem hjem.”
Human plans and God’s plans
1Woe to those who plan iniquity,
to those who plot evil on their beds!
At morning’s light they carry it out
because it is in their power to do it.
2They covet fields and seize them,
and houses, and take them.
They defraud people of their homes,
they rob them of their inheritance.
3Therefore, the Lord says:
‘I am planning disaster against this people,
from which you cannot save yourselves.
You will no longer walk proudly,
for it will be a time of calamity.
4In that day people will ridicule you;
they will taunt you with this mournful song:
“We are utterly ruined;
my people’s possession is divided up.
He takes it from me!
He assigns our fields to traitors.” ’
5Therefore you will have no-one in the assembly of the Lord
to divide the land by lot.
False prophets
6‘Do not prophesy,’ their prophets say.
‘Do not prophesy about these things;
disgrace will not overtake us.’
7You descendants of Jacob, should it be said,
‘Does the Lord become2:7 Or Is the Spirit of the Lord impatient?
Does he do such things?’
‘Do not my words do good
to the one whose ways are upright?
8Lately my people have risen up
like an enemy.
You strip off the rich robe
from those who pass by without a care,
like men returning from battle.
9You drive the women of my people
from their pleasant homes.
You take away my blessing
from their children for ever.
10Get up, go away!
For this is not your resting-place,
because it is defiled,
it is ruined, beyond all remedy.
11If a liar and deceiver comes and says,
“I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,”
that would be just the prophet for this people!
Deliverance promised
12‘I will surely gather all of you, Jacob;
I will surely bring together the remnant of Israel.
I will bring them together like sheep in a sheepfold,
like a flock in its pasture;
the place will throng with people.
13The One who breaks open the way will go up before them;
they will break through the gate and go out.
Their King will pass through before them,
the Lord at their head.’
