Judgment against Wealthy Oppressors

1 What sorrow awaits you who lie awake at night,

thinking up evil plans.

You rise at dawn and hurry to carry them out,

simply because you have the power to do so.

2 When you want a piece of land,

you find a way to seize it.

When you want someone’s house,

you take it by fraud and violence.

You cheat a man of his property,

stealing his family’s inheritance.

3 But this is what the Lord says:

“I will reward your evil with evil;

you won’t be able to pull your neck out of the noose.

You will no longer walk around proudly,

for it will be a terrible time.”

4 In that day your enemies will make fun of you

by singing this song of despair about you:

“We are finished,

completely ruined!

God has confiscated our land,

taking it from us.

He has given our fields

to those who betrayed us.* ”

5 Others will set your boundaries then,

and the Lord’s people will have no say

in how the land is divided.