Daily Bread

² “Fallen is Virgin^(B) Israel,
    never to rise again,
deserted in her own land,
    with no one to lift her up.^(C)”

“Your city that marches out a thousand strong
    will have only a hundred left;
your town that marches out a hundred strong
    will have only ten left.^(D)”

“Seek^(E) me and live;^(F)
5     do not seek Bethel,
do not go to Gilgal,^(G)
    do not journey to Beersheba.^(H)
For Gilgal will surely go into exile,
    and Bethel will be reduced to nothing.^[a](I)”
⁶ Seek^(J) the Lord and live,^(K)
    or he will sweep through the tribes of Joseph like a fire;^(L)
it will devour them,
    and Bethel^(M) will have no one to quench it.^(N)

⁷ There are those who turn justice into bitterness^(O)
    and cast righteousness^(P) to the ground.^(Q)

⁸ He who made the Pleiades and Orion,^(R)
    who turns midnight into dawn^(S)
    and darkens day into night,^(T)
who calls for the waters of the sea
    and pours them out over the face of the land—
    the Lord is his name.^(U)
9 With a blinding flash he destroys the stronghold
    and brings the fortified city to ruin.^(V)

¹⁰ There are those who hate the one who upholds justice in court^(W)
    and detest the one who tells the truth.^(X)

¹¹ You levy a straw tax on the poor^(Y)
    and impose a tax on their grain.
Therefore, though you have built stone mansions,^(Z)
    you will not live in them;^(AA)
though you have planted lush vineyards,
    you will not drink their wine.^(AB)
12 For I know how many are your offenses
    and how great your sins.^(AC)

There are those who oppress the innocent and take bribes^(AD)
    and deprive the poor^(AE) of justice in the courts.^(AF)
13 Therefore the prudent keep quiet^(AG) in such times,
    for the times are evil.^(AH)