Micah 1
1 The word of YHWH that came to Micah the Morashtite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.
This is the word of Yahweh that came to Micah the Morashtite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.
2 Hear, you peoples, all of you. Listen, O earth, and all that is in it: and let YHWH be witness against you, YHWH from his holy temple.
Listen, all you peoples. Listen, earth, and all that is in you. Let the Lord Yahweh be a witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.
3 For, look, YHWH comes forth out of his place, and will come down and tread on the high places of the earth.
Look, Yahweh comes out of his place; he will come down and tread on the high places of the earth.
4 The mountains melt under him, and the valleys split apart, like wax before the fire, like waters that are poured down a steep place.
The mountains will melt under him; the valleys will break apart, like wax before fire, like waters that are poured down a steep place.
5 "All this is for the disobedience of Jacob, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the disobedience of Jacob? Isn't it Samaria? And what are the high places of Judah? Aren't they Jerusalem?
All this is because of the Jacob's transgression, and because of the sins of the house of Israel. What is Jacob's transgression? Is it not Samaria? What is Judah's high place? Is it not Jerusalem?
6 Therefore I will make Samaria like a rubble heap of the field, like places for planting vineyards; and I will pour down its stones into the valley, and I will uncover its foundations.
“I will make Samaria a heap of ruins in the field, a place for planting vineyards, and I will pour her stones down into the valley and I will uncover her foundations.
7 All her idols will be beaten to pieces, and all her temple gifts will be burned with fire, and all her images I will destroy; for of the hire of a prostitute has she gathered them, and to the hire of a prostitute shall they return."
All her carved figures will be broken to pieces, and all her gifts that she received will be burned with fire, and I will destroy all her idols. Since she gathered her gifts from the wages of prostitutes, they will become the wages of prostitutes again.”
8 For this I will lament and wail; I will go stripped and naked; I will howl like the jackals, and moan like the daughters of owls.
For this reason I will lament and wail; I will go barefoot and naked; I will wail like the jackals and mourn like owls.
9 For her wounds are incurable; for it has come even to Judah. It reaches to the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.
For her wound is incurable, for it has come to Judah. It has reached the gate of my people, to Jerusalem.
10 Do not tell it in Gath. Do not weep at all. At Beth Leaphrah I have rolled myself in the dust.
Do not tell about it in Gath; do not weep at all. At Beth Leaphrah I roll myself in the dust.
11 Pass on, inhabitant of Shaphir, in nakedness and shame. The inhabitant of Zaanan won't come out. The wailing of Beth Ezel will take from you his protection.
Pass by, inhabitants of Shaphir, in nakedness and shame. The inhabitants of Zaanan do not come out. Beth Ezel mourns, for their protection is taken away.
12 For the inhabitant of Maroth waits anxiously for good, because evil has come down from YHWH to the gate of Jerusalem.
For the inhabitants of Maroth wait anxiously for good news, because disaster has come down from Yahweh to the gates of Jerusalem.
13 Harness the chariot to the swift steed, inhabitant of Lachish. She was the beginning of sin to the daughter of Zion; For the transgressions of Israel were found in you.
Harness the chariot to the team of horses, inhabitants of Lachish. You, Lachish, were the beginning of sin for the daughter of Zion, for the transgressions of Israel were found in you.
14 Therefore you will give a parting gift to Moresheth Gath. The houses of Achzib will be a deceitful thing to the kings of Israel.
So you will give a parting gift to Moresheth Gath; the town of Akzib will disappoint the kings of Israel.
15 I will yet bring to you, inhabitant of Mareshah. He who is the glory of Israel will come to Adullam.
I will again bring a conqueror to you, inhabitants of Mareshah; the splendor of Israel will come to Adullam.
16 Shave your heads, and cut off your hair for the children of your delight. Enlarge your baldness like the vulture; for they have gone into captivity from you.
Shave your head and cut off your hair for the children in whom you delight. Make yourself as bald as eagles, for your children will go into exile from you.
