13Therefore at such a time the prudent person keeps silent, for it is an evil time.

14Seek good and not evil, that you may live;
         And thus may the LORD God of hosts be with you,
         Just as you have said!

15Hate evil, love good,
         And establish justice in the gate!
         Perhaps the LORD God of hosts
         May be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.

      16Therefore thus says the LORD God of hosts, the Lord,
         “There is wailing in all the plazas,
         And in all the streets they say, ‘Alas! Alas!’
         They also call the farmer to mourning
         And professional mourners to lamentation.

17“And in all the vineyards there is wailing,
         Because I will pass through the midst of you,” says the LORD.

18Alas, you who are longing for the day of the LORD,
         For what purpose will the day of the LORD be to you?
         It will be darkness and not light;

19As when a man flees from a lion
         And a bear meets him,
         Or goes home, leans his hand against the wall
         And a snake bites him.

20Will not the day of the LORD be darkness instead of light,
         Even gloom with no brightness in it?

21“I hate, I reject your festivals,
         Nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies.

22“Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings,
         I will not accept them;
         And I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fatlings.

23“Take away from Me the noise of your songs;
         I will not even listen to the sound of your harps.

24“But let justice roll down like waters
         And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

      25“Did you present Me with sacrifices and grain offerings in the wilderness for forty years, O house of Israel? 26“You also carried along Sikkuth your king and Kiyyun, your images, the star of your gods which you made for yourselves. 27“Therefore, I will make you go into exile beyond Damascus,” says the LORD, whose name is the God of hosts.

NASB ©1995