13 Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it is an evil time.

14 Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the Lord, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken.

15 Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the Lord God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.

16 Therefore the Lord, the God of hosts, the Lord, saith thus; Wailing shall be in all streets; and they shall say in all the highways, Alas! alas! and they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and such as are skilful of lamentation to wailing.

17 And in all vineyards shall be wailing: for I will pass through thee, saith the Lord.

18 Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! to what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is darkness, and not light.

19 As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him.

20 Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?

21 I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.

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13 Therefore the prudent keep quiet(A) in such times,
    for the times are evil.(B)

14 Seek good, not evil,
    that you may live.(C)
Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you,
    just as you say he is.
15 Hate evil,(D) love good;(E)
    maintain justice in the courts.(F)
Perhaps(G) the Lord God Almighty will have mercy(H)
    on the remnant(I) of Joseph.

16 Therefore this is what the Lord, the Lord God Almighty, says:

“There will be wailing(J) in all the streets(K)
    and cries of anguish in every public square.
The farmers(L) will be summoned to weep
    and the mourners to wail.
17 There will be wailing(M) in all the vineyards,
    for I will pass through(N) your midst,”
says the Lord.(O)

The Day of the Lord

18 Woe to you who long
    for the day of the Lord!(P)
Why do you long for the day of the Lord?(Q)
    That day will be darkness,(R) not light.(S)
19 It will be as though a man fled from a lion
    only to meet a bear,(T)
as though he entered his house
    and rested his hand on the wall
    only to have a snake bite him.(U)
20 Will not the day of the Lord be darkness,(V) not light—
    pitch-dark, without a ray of brightness?(W)

21 “I hate,(X) I despise your religious festivals;(Y)
    your assemblies(Z) are a stench to me.

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