## An Evil Time 

###### 1
Woe to those who devise wickedness, Who work out evil on their beds! When the light of the morning _comes_, they do it, For it is in the power of their hands. 

###### 2
And they covet fields and then tear _them_ away, And houses, and take _them_ away. And they oppress a man and his house, A man and his inheritance. 

###### 3
Therefore thus says Yahweh, "Behold, I am devising against this family an evil _demise_ From which you cannot remove your necks; And you will not walk haughtily, For it will be an evil time. 

###### 4
On that day they will take up against you a taunt And utter a bitter wailing _and_ say, 'We are completely devastated! He exchanges the portion of my people; How He removes it from me! To the faithless one, He apportions our fields.' 

###### 5
Therefore you will have no one stretching a measuring line For you by lot in the assembly of Yahweh. 

###### 6
'Do not speak, dripping out _words_,' they say _while_ dripping out _words_. _But if_ they do not drip out _words_ concerning these things, Dishonor will not be turned back. 

###### 7
Is it being said, O house of Jacob: 'Is the Spirit of Yahweh impatient? Are these His deeds?' Do not My words do good To the one walking uprightly? 

###### 8
And recently My people have arisen as an enemy-- You strip the robe off the garment From unsuspecting passers-by, _From_ those returned from war. 

###### 9
The women of My people you drive out, Each _one_ from her pleasant house. From her infants you take My splendor forever. 

###### 10
Arise and go, For this is no place of rest Because of the uncleanness that wreaks destruction, A painful destruction. 

###### 11
If a man walking after wind and lying Had acted falsely _and said_, 'I will speak, dripping out _words_ to you concerning wine and liquor,' He would be one who drips out _words as a_ spokesman to this people. 

###### 12
"I will surely assemble all of you, Jacob; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel. I will put them together like sheep in the fold; Like a flock in the midst of its pasture They will be noisy with men. 

###### 13
The breaker goes up before them; They break out, pass through the gate, and go out by it. So their king goes on before them, And Yahweh at their head."