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Seek the Lord and live,
    lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph,
    and it devour, with none to quench it for Bethel,
O you who turn justice to wormwood,
    and cast down righteousness to the earth!

He who made the Pleiades and Orion,
    and turns deep darkness into the morning,
    and darkens the day into night,
who calls for the waters of the sea,
    and pours them out upon the surface of the earth,
the Lord is his name,
who makes destruction flash forth against the strong,
    so that destruction comes upon the fortress.

10 They hate him who reproves in the gate,
    and they abhor him who speaks the truth.
11 Therefore because you trample upon the poor
    and take from him exactions of wheat,
you have built houses of hewn stone,
    but you shall not dwell in them;
you have planted pleasant vineyards,
    but you shall not drink their wine.
12 For I know how many are your transgressions,
    and how great are your sins—
you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe,
    and turn aside the needy in the gate.
13 Therefore he who is prudent will keep silent in such a time;
    for it is an evil time.

14 Seek good, and not evil,
    that you may live;
and so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you,
    as you have said.
15 Hate evil, and love good,
    and establish justice in the gate;
it may be that the Lord, the God of hosts,
    will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.

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Seek(A) the Lord and live,(B)
    or he will sweep through the tribes of Joseph like a fire;(C)
it will devour them,
    and Bethel(D) will have no one to quench it.(E)

There are those who turn justice into bitterness(F)
    and cast righteousness(G) to the ground.(H)

He who made the Pleiades and Orion,(I)
    who turns midnight into dawn(J)
    and darkens day into night,(K)
who calls for the waters of the sea
    and pours them out over the face of the land—
    the Lord is his name.(L)
With a blinding flash he destroys the stronghold
    and brings the fortified city to ruin.(M)

10 There are those who hate the one who upholds justice in court(N)
    and detest the one who tells the truth.(O)

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

There are those who oppress the innocent and take bribes(U)
    and deprive the poor(V) of justice in the courts.(W)
13 Therefore the prudent keep quiet(X) in such times,
    for the times are evil.(Y)

14 Seek good, not evil,
    that you may live.(Z)
Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you,
    just as you say he is.
15 Hate evil,(AA) love good;(AB)
    maintain justice in the courts.(AC)
Perhaps(AD) the Lord God Almighty will have mercy(AE)
    on the remnant(AF) of Joseph.

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