1. Listen to this funeral song that I sing about you, people of Israel.
2. “Israel has fallen.It will not rise up again.It was left alone in the land.There is no one to lift it up.”
3. This is what the Lord God says:“If 1,000 soldiers leave a city,only 100 will return.If 100 soldiers leave a city,only 10 will return.”
4. This is what the Lord says to the nation of Israel:“Come to me and live.
5. But do not look in Bethel.Do not go to Gilgal,and do not go down to Beersheba.The people of Gilgal will be taken away as captives.And Bethel will become nothing.”
6. Come to the Lord and live.If you don’t, he will destroy the descendants of Joseph as a fire would.The fire will burn.But there will be no one to put it out for Bethel.
7. You change the justice of the courts into something unfair.You reject what is right.
8. God is the one who made the star groups Pleiades and Orion.He changes darkness into the morning light.And he changes the day into the dark night.He calls for the waters of the seato pour out on the earth.The Lord is his name.
9. He destroys the protected city.And he ruins the strong, walled city.
10. You hate those who speak in court against evil.And you hate those who tell the truth.
11. You walk on poor people.You force them to give you grain.You have built fancy houses of cut stone.But you will not live in them.You have planted beautiful vineyards.But you will not drink the wine from them.
12. It is because I know your many crimes.I know your terrible sins.You hurt people who do right.You accept money to do wrong.You keep the poor from getting justice in court.