"Whatdo you mean by crushingMy peopleAnd grindingthe faceof the poor?"Declaresthe LordGODof hosts.
They crushYour people,O LORD,And afflictYour heritage.
Moreover, the foremenof the sonsof Israel,whomPharaoh'staskmastershad setoverthem, were beatenand were asked,"Whyhave you not completedyour requiredamounteitheryesterdayortodayin makingbrickas previously?"
There is a kindof [man] whose teethare [like] swordsAnd his jawteeth[like] knives,To devourthe afflictedfrom the earthAnd the needyfrom among men.
So as to deprivethe needyof justiceAnd robthe poorof My peopleof [their] rights,So that widowsmay be their spoilAnd that they may plunderthe orphans.
"Those who are mosthelplesswill eat,And the needywill liedownin security;I will destroyyour rootwith famine,And it will killoff your survivors.
"The footwill trampleit, The feetof the afflicted,the stepsof the helpless."
The afflictedalso will increasetheir gladnessin the LORD,And the needyof mankindwill rejoicein the HolyOneof Israel.
Thereforethussaysthe HolyOneof Israel,"Sinceyou have rejectedthiswordAnd have putyour trustin oppressionand guile,and have reliedon them,
For a foolspeaksnonsense,And his heartinclinestoward wickedness:To practiceungodlinessand to speakerroragainstthe LORD,To keepthe hungrypersonunsatisfiedAnd to withholddrinkfrom the thirsty.
For the vineyardof the LORDof hostsis the houseof IsraelAnd the menof JudahHis delightfulplant.Thus He lookedfor justice,but behold,bloodshed;For righteousness,but behold,a cryof distress.
"Behold,you fastfor contentionand strifeand to strikewith a wickedfist.You do not fastlike [you do] todayto makeyour voiceheardon high.
For He said,"Surely,they are My people,Sonswho will not dealfalsely."So He becametheir Savior.
"Whatdo you mean by usingthisproverbconcerningthe landof Israel,saying,The fatherseatthe sourgrapes,But the children'steethare seton edge'?
So the captainapproachedhim and said,"Howis it that you are sleeping?Getup, callon your god.Perhaps[your] godwill be concernedabout us so that we will not perish."
