< Micah 6 >

1 Now listen to what Yahweh says, “Arise and state your case before the mountains; let the hills hear your voice.
Hear ye now what the LORD saith: Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.
2 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.”
Hear, O ye mountains, the LORD'S controversy, and ye enduring rocks, the foundations of the earth; for the LORD hath a controversy with His people, and He will plead with Israel.
3 “My people, what have I done to you? How have I wearied you? Testify against me!
O My people, what have I done unto thee? And wherein have I wearied thee? Testify against Me.
4 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.
For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of bondage, and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
5 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.”
O My people, remember now what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him; from Shittim unto Gilgal, that ye may know the righteous acts of the LORD.
6 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?
'Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before Him with burnt-offerings, with calves of a year old?
7 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?
Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?'
8 He has told you, man, what is good, and what Yahweh requires from you: Act justly, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God.
It hath been told thee, O man, what is good, and what the LORD doth require of thee: only to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.
9 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.
Hark! the LORD crieth unto the city — and it is wisdom to have regard for Thy name — hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.
10 There is wealth in the houses of the wicked that is dishonest, and false measures that are abominable.
Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is abominable?
11 Should I consider a person to be innocent if he uses fraudulent scales, with a bag of deceptive weights?
'Shall I be pure with wicked balances, and with a bag of deceitful weights?'
12 The rich men are full of violence, the inhabitants have spoken lies, and their tongue in their mouth is deceitful.
For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.
13 Therefore I will strike you with a terrible blow, and I will make you desolate because of your sins.
Therefore I also do smite thee with a grievous wound; I do make thee desolate because of thy sins.
14 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.
Thou shalt eat, but not be satisfied; and thy sickness shall be in thine inward parts; and thou shalt conceive, but shalt not bring forth; and whomsoever thou bringest forth will I give up to the sword.
15 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.
Thou shalt sow, but shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olives, but shalt not anoint thee with oil; and the vintage, but shalt not drink wine.
16 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.”
For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels; that I may make thee an astonishment, and the inhabitants thereof a hissing; and ye shall bear the reproach of My people.

< Micah 6 >