12. I know how many are your crimes,and how numerous are your sins—afflicting the righteous,taking money on the side,turning away the poor who seek help.
13. Therefore, the one who is wise will keep silent in that time;it is an evil time.
14. Seek good and not evil,that you may live;and so the Lord, the God of heavenly forces,will be with you just as you have said.
15. Hate evil, love good,and establish justice at the city gate.Perhaps the Lord God of heavenly forceswill be gracious to what is left of Joseph.
16. Truly, the Lord proclaims,the God of heavenly forces, the Lord:Crying will be heard in all the squares.In all the streets they will say, "Oh no! Oh no!"They will call upon the farmers to wail,and those skilled in mourning to lament.
17. In all the vineyards there will be bitter crying becauseI will pass through your midst,says the Lord.
18. Doom to those who desire the day of the Lord!Why do you want the day of the Lord?It is darkness, not light;
19. as if someone fled from a lion,and was met by a bear;or sought refuge in a house,rested a hand against the wall,and was bitten by a snake.
20. Isn’t the day of the Lord darkness, not light;all dark with no brightness in it?
21. I hate, I reject your festivals;I don’t enjoy your joyous assemblies.
22. If you bring me your entirely burned offerings and gifts of food—I won’t be pleased;I won’t even look at your offerings of well-fed animals.
23. Take away the noise of your songs;I won’t listen to the melody of your harps.
24. But let justice roll down like waters,and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
25. Did you bring me sacrifices and offeringsduring the forty years in the wilderness, house of Israel?
26. You will take up Sakkuth your king,and Kaiwan your star-god,your images, which you made for yourselves.