hy God, O Israel. For, lo, he that
formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth to man
what his thought is, that maketh the morning, darkness, and marcheth
on the high places of the earth, the Lord God of Hosts his name.

V

THE OPPRESSION OF THE POOR

Seek ye Jehovah and live, lest he break forth like fire, O house of
Joseph, and it consume and there be none to quench at Bethel. He that
made the Pleiades and Orion, that turneth the deep shadow into
morning, and day he darkeneth to night, that calleth for the waters of
the sea and poureth them out on the face of the earth--Jehovah, his
name. He it is that flasheth out ruin on strength, and bringeth down
destruction on the fortified.

They that turn justice to wormwood, and abase righteousness to the
earth! They hate him that reproveth in the gate and him that speaketh
sincerely they abhor. Wherefore, because ye trample on the weak, and
take from him a present of corn, ye shall have houses built of hewn
stone, but ye shall not dwell in them: vineyards for pleasure have ye
planted, but ye shall not drink of their wine. For I know how many are
your crimes and how forceful your sins--ye that browbeat the
righteous, take bribes and {362} turn aside the poor in the gate.
Therefore the prudent in such a time is dumb, for an evil time it is.

Seek good and not evil, that ye may live, and Jehovah God of Hosts be
with you as ye say he is. Hate evil and love good: and in the gate set
justice on her feet again --it may be that Jehovah God of Hosts may
have pity on the remnant of Joseph.

Therefore thus saith Jehovah, God of Hosts, Lord: On all the open
ways, lamentation, and in all streets they shall be saying, "Ah woe!
Ah woe!" And in all vineyards, lamentation, and they shall call the
ploughman to wailing, and to lamentation them that are skilful in
dirges, for I shall pass through their midst, saith Jehovah.

Woe unto you that long for the day of the Lord!

Wherefore would ye have the day of the Lord? It is darkness, and not
light. As when a man fleeth from the face of a lion and a bear falls
upon him: and he comes unto the house and leans his hand upon the wall
and a serpent bites him. Is it not darkness, the day of Jehovah, and
not light? storm-darkness, and not a ray of light upon it?

I hate, I loathe your feasts, and I will not smell the savour of your
gatherings to sacrifice. Though ye bring to me your burnt-offering,
and your meal-offerings, I