Micah 6
1 Hear ye now what the LORD saith; Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.
Now listen to what Yahweh says, “Arise and state your case before the mountains; let the hills hear your voice.
2 Hear ye, O mountains, the LORD’s controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the LORD hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel.
Listen to Yahweh's lawsuit, you mountains, and you enduring foundations of the earth. For Yahweh has a lawsuit with his people, and he will fight in court against Israel.”
3 O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me.
“My people, what have I done to you? How have I wearied you? Testify against me!
4 For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
For I brought you up out of the land of Egypt and rescued you out of the house of bondage. I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to you.
5 O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the LORD.
My people, remember what Balak king of Moab devised, and how Balaam son of Beor answered him as you went from Shittim to Gilgal, so you may know the righteous acts of Yahweh.”
6 Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, [and] bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old?
What should I bring to Yahweh, as I bow down to the high God? Should I come to him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?
7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, [or] with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn [for] my transgression, the fruit of my body [for] the sin of my soul?
Will Yahweh be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousand rivers of oil? Should I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for my own sin?
8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what [is] good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
He has told you, man, what is good, and what Yahweh requires from you: Act justly, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God.
9 The LORD’s voice crieth unto the city, and [the man of] wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.
The voice of Yahweh is making a proclamation to the city— even now wisdom acknowledges your name: “Pay attention to the rod, and to the one who has put it in place.
10 Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure [that is] abominable?
There is wealth in the houses of the wicked that is dishonest, and false measures that are abominable.
11 Shall I count [them] pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights?
Should I consider a person to be innocent if he uses fraudulent scales, with a bag of deceptive weights?
12 For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue [is] deceitful in their mouth.
The rich men are full of violence, the inhabitants have spoken lies, and their tongue in their mouth is deceitful.
13 Therefore also will I make [thee] sick in smiting thee, in making [thee] desolate because of thy sins.
Therefore I will strike you with a terrible blow, and I will make you desolate because of your sins.
14 Thou shalt eat, but not be satisfied; and thy casting down [shall be] in the midst of thee; and thou shalt take hold, but shalt not deliver; and [that] which thou deliverest will I give up to the sword.
You will eat but not be satisfied; your emptiness will remain inside you. You will store goods away but not save, and what you do save I will give to the sword.
15 Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil; and sweet wine, but shalt not drink wine.
You will sow but not reap; you will tread the olives but not anoint yourselves with oil; you will press grapes but drink no wine.
16 For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels; that I should make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof an hissing: therefore ye shall bear the reproach of my people.
The regulations made by Omri have been kept, and all the deeds of the house of Ahab. You walk by their advice. So I will make you, city, a ruin, and you inhabitants an object of hissing, and you will bear the reproach of my people.”
