Listen to this, you who trample ¹  the needy, and do away with ²  the destitute in the land.

ב (Bet) The Lord ¹  destroyed ²  mercilessly ³  all the homes of Jacob’s descendants. ⁴  In his anger he tore down the fortified cities ⁵  of Daughter Judah. He knocked to the ground and humiliated the kingdom and its rulers. ⁶ 

פ (Pe) All your enemies gloated over you. ¹  They sneered and gnashed their teeth; they said, “We have destroyed ²  her! Ha! We have waited a long time for this day. We have lived to see it!” ³ 

You are too just ¹  to tolerate ²  evil; you are unable to condone ³  wrongdoing. So why do you put up with such treacherous people? ⁴  Why do you say nothing when the wicked devour ⁵  those more righteous than they are? ⁶ 

In excitement and impatience it consumes the ground; ¹  it cannot stand still ²  when the trumpet is blown.

There is desirable treasure and olive oil ¹  in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish person ²  devours all he has. ³ 

The words of a wise person ¹  win him ²  favor, ³  but the words ⁴  of a fool are self-destructive. ⁵ 

The withering flower, its beautiful splendor, situated at the head of a rich valley, will be like an early fig before harvest – as soon as someone notices it, he grabs it and swallows it. ¹ 

The leaders of this nation were misleading people, and the people being led were destroyed. ¹ 

So ¹  I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it, and it did taste ²  as sweet as honey in my mouth, but ³  when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter.

May he send help from heaven and deliver me ¹  from my enemies who hurl insults! ²  (Selah) May God send his loyal love and faithfulness!

Oppressors treat my ¹  people cruelly; creditors rule over them. ²  My people’s leaders mislead them; they give you confusing directions. ³ 

Even these men ¹  stagger because of wine, they stumble around because of beer – priests and prophets stagger because of beer, they are confused ²  because of wine, they stumble around because of beer; they stagger while seeing prophetic visions, ³  they totter while making legal decisions. ⁴ 

“‘But just look at you! ¹  You are putting your confidence in a false belief ²  that will not deliver you. ³ 

ז (Zayin) Remember ¹  my impoverished and homeless condition, ²  which is a bitter poison. ³ 

For fire went out from Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon. It has consumed Ar of Moab and the lords ¹  of the high places of Arnon.

Those who anticipate my defeat ¹  attack me all day long. Indeed, ²  many are fighting against me, O Exalted One. ³ 

so that now instead ¹  you should rather forgive and comfort him. ²  This will keep him from being overwhelmed by excessive grief to the point of despair. ³ 

By faith they crossed the Red Sea as if on dry ground, but when the Egyptians tried it, they were swallowed up.

The hungry ¹  eat up his harvest, ²  and take it even from behind the thorns, ³  and the thirsty ⁴  swallow up ⁵  their fortune. ⁶