Just as a hunter fills a cage with birds, they have filled their houses with loot. That is why they are powerful and rich,

why they are fat and well fed. There is no limit to their evil deeds. They do not give orphans their rights or show justice to the oppressed.

Doomed is the one who builds his house by injustice and enlarges it by dishonesty; who makes his people work for nothing and does not pay their wages.

But you can only see your selfish interests; you kill the innocent and violently oppress your people. The LORD has spoken.

but people like that are setting a trap for themselves, a trap in which they will die.

Robbery always claims the life of the robber---this is what happens to anyone who lives by violence.

The more easily you get your wealth, the sooner you will lose it. The harder it is to earn, the more you will have.

Try to make a profit dishonestly, and you get your family in trouble. Don't take bribes and you will live longer.

The riches you get by dishonesty soon disappear, but not before they lead you into the jaws of death.

If you get rich by charging interest and taking advantage of people, your wealth will go to someone who is kind to the poor.

A ruler without good sense will be a cruel tyrant. One who hates dishonesty will rule a long time.

Honest people will lead a full, happy life. But if you are in a hurry to get rich, you are going to be punished.

Selfish people are in such a hurry to get rich that they do not know when poverty is about to strike.

Your leaders are rebels and friends of thieves; they are always accepting gifts and bribes. They never defend orphans in court or listen when widows present their case.

So now, listen to what the LORD Almighty, Israel's powerful God, is saying: "I will take revenge on you, my enemies, and you will cause me no more trouble.

Some of your people murder for pay. Some charge interest on the loans they make to other Israelites and get rich by taking advantage of them. They have forgotten me." The Sovereign LORD has spoken.

"I will bring my fist down on your robberies and murders.

The LORD says, "The people of Israel are as dishonest as the Canaanites; they love to cheat their customers with false scales.

'We are rich,' they say. 'We've made a fortune. And no one can accuse us of getting rich dishonestly.'

The LORD says, "These people fill their mansions with things taken by crime and violence. They don't even know how to be honest.

Listen to this, you that trample on the needy and try to destroy the poor of the country.

We can sell worthless wheat at a high price. We'll find someone poor who can't pay his debts, not even the price of a pair of sandals, and we'll buy him as a slave."

How terrible it will be for those who lie awake and plan evil! When morning comes, as soon as they have the chance, they do the evil they planned.

When they want fields, they seize them; when they want houses, they take them. No one's family or property is safe.

You drive the women of my people out of the homes they love, and you have robbed their children of my blessings forever.

In the houses of evil people are treasures which they got dishonestly. They use false measures, a thing that I hate.

Your rich people exploit the poor, and all of you are liars.

They are all experts at doing evil. Officials and judges ask for bribes. The influential people tell them what they want, and so they scheme together.

The conquered people will taunt their conquerors and show their scorn for them. They will say, "You take what isn't yours, but you are doomed! How long will you go on getting rich by forcing your debtors to pay up?"

You have plundered the people of many nations, but now those who have survived will plunder you because of the murders you have committed and because of your violence against the people of the world and its cities.

But your schemes have brought shame on your family; by destroying many nations you have only brought ruin on yourself.

You are doomed! You founded a city on crime and built it up by murder.

I will punish all who worship like pagans and who steal and kill in order to fill their master's house with loot.

The LORD Almighty says that he will send this curse out, and it will enter the house of every thief and the house of everyone who tells lies under oath. It will remain in their houses and leave them in ruins."

"Long ago I gave these commands to my people: 'You must see that justice is done, and must show kindness and mercy to one another.

"But my people stubbornly refused to listen. They closed their minds

Because they did not listen when I spoke, I did not answer when they prayed.

The LORD Almighty says, "I will appear among you to judge, and I will testify at once against those who practice magic, against adulterers, against those who give false testimony, those who cheat employees out of their wages, and those who take advantage of widows, orphans, and foreigners---against all who do not respect me.

OMITTED TEXT

But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and are caught in the trap of many foolish and harmful desires, which pull them down to ruin and destruction.

It is necessary to stop their talk, because they are upsetting whole families by teaching what they should not, and all for the shameful purpose of making money.

Your gold and silver are covered with rust, and this rust will be a witness against you and will eat up your flesh like fire. You have piled up riches in these last days.

Your life here on earth has been full of luxury and pleasure. You have made yourselves fat for the day of slaughter.

In their greed these false teachers will make a profit out of telling you made-up stories. For a long time now their Judge has been ready, and their Destroyer has been wide awake!

They want to look for nothing but the chance to commit adultery; their appetite for sin is never satisfied. They lead weak people into a trap. Their hearts are trained to be greedy. They are under God's curse!

But you, O God, will bring those murderers and liars to their graves before half their life is over. As for me, I will trust in you.

Your money can be gone in a flash, as if it had grown wings and flown away like an eagle.

Here is a terrible thing that I have seen in this world: people save up their money for a time when they may need it,

We leave this world just as we entered it---with nothing. In spite of all our work there is nothing we can take with us.

But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night you will have to give up your life; then who will get all these things you have kept for yourself ? ' "