"For he has oppressed[and] forsakenthe poor;He has seizeda housewhich he has not built.
"You shall speakto him, saying,'Thussaysthe LORD,"Have you murderedand alsotakenpossession?"'And you shall speakto him, saying,'Thussaysthe LORD,"In the placewherethe dogslickedup the bloodof Naboththe dogswill lickup your blood,evenyours."'"
"There dwellsin his tentnothingof his; Brimstoneis scatteredon his habitation.
"For you have takenpledgesof your brotherswithoutcause,And strippedmen naked.
"Becauseof the multitudeof oppressionsthey cryout; They cryfor helpbecauseof the armof the mighty.
To vindicatethe orphanand the oppressed,So that manwho is of the earthwill nolongercauseterror.
"Becauseof the devastationof the afflicted,becauseof the groaningof the needy,NowI will arise,"saysthe LORD;"I will sethim in the safetyfor which he longs."
The wordsof the LORDare purewords;As silvertriedin a furnaceon the earth,refinedseventimes.
He who oppressesthe poortauntshis Maker,But he who is graciousto the needyhonorsHim.
Then I lookedagainat allthe actsof oppressionwhichwere being doneunderthe sun.And behold[I saw] the tearsof the oppressedand [that] they hadnooneto comfort[them]; and on the sideof their oppressorswas power,but they hadnooneto comfort[them].
Ifyou seeoppressionof the poorand denialof justiceand righteousnessin the province,do not be shockedat the sight;for one officialwatchesoveranother official,and there are higherofficialsoverthem.
To crushunderHis feetAllthe prisonersof the land,
"The peopleof the landhave practicedoppressionand committedrobbery,and they have wrongedthe poorand needyand have oppressedthe sojournerwithoutjustice.
Thereforebecauseyou imposeheavyrenton the poorAnd exacta tributeof grainfrom them, [Though] you have builthousesof well-hewnstone,Yet you will not livein them; You have plantedpleasantvineyards,yet you will not drinktheir wine.
For I knowyour transgressionsare manyand your sinsare great,[You] who distressthe righteous[and] acceptbribesAnd turnasidethe poorin the gate.
They covetfieldsand then seize[them], And houses,and take[them] away. They roba manand his house,A manand his inheritance.
"The womenof My peopleyou evict,Each [one] from her pleasanthouse.From her childrenyou takeMy splendorforever.
"A peoplewhomyou do not knowshall eatup the produceof your groundand allyour labors,and you will neverbe anythingbut oppressedand crushedcontinually.
For judgment[will be] mercilessto one who has shownnomercy;mercytriumphs overjudgment.
But you have dishonoredthe poor man.Is it not the richwho oppressyou and personallydragyou into court?
Behold,the payof the laborerswho mowedyour fields,[and] which has been withheldby you, criesout [against you]; and the outcryof thosewho did the harvestinghas reachedthe earsof the Lordof Sabaoth.
