Micah, 1

1. The word of the LORD that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, [and] Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

1. This is the word of Yahweh which came to Micah of Moresheth during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. These are his visions concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

2. Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.

2. Hear all you peoples, let the earth listen and all who are in it. For Yahweh is witnessing against you from his holy temple.

3. For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth.

3. Yahweh has come forth from his place, he comes down and treads upon the heights of the earth.

4. And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, [and] as the waters [that are] poured down a steep place.

4. Beneath him mountains collapse and valleys melt like wax before the fire, as torrents pouring down the hillside.

5. For the transgression of Jacob [is] all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What [is] the transgression of Jacob? [is it] not Samaria? and what [are] the high places of Judah? [are they] not Jerusalem?

5. All this for the crime of Jacob, for the sin of the nation of Judah. What is the crime of Jacob? Is it not Samaria? What is the sin of the nation of Judah? Is it not Jerusalem?

6. Therefore I will make Samaria as an heap of the field, [and] as plantings of a vineyard: and I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley, and I will discover the foundations thereof.

6. Therefore I will make Samaria a heap of ruins in the open country, a place for planting vineyards. I will scatter her stones down into the valley and lay her foundations bare.

7. And all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces, and all the hires thereof shall be burned with the fire, and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate: for she gathered [it] of the hire of an harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot.

7. All her carved images will be dashed to pieces and her filthy idols burnt by fire. I will make a waste heap of all her idols for they were made with harlot's wages, and to harlot's wages they will return.

8. Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls.

8. For this reason I lament and wail, go barefoot and naked. I shall howl like a jackal and wail like an ostrich.

9. For her wound [is] incurable; for it is come unto Judah; he is come unto the gate of my people, [even] to Jerusalem.

9. For her wound cannot be healed; rather it has come to Judah. It has reached the capital of my people, Jerusalem.

10. Declare ye [it] not at Gath, weep ye not at all: in the house of Aphrah roll thyself in the dust.

10. Exult not in Gath; break down and weep in Acco. In Beth-leaphra roll in the dust.

11. Pass ye away, thou inhabitant of Saphir, having thy shame naked: the inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth in the mourning of Bethezel; he shall receive of you his standing.

11. Sound the bugle, O people of Shaphir and do not let the dwellers in Zaanan come forth. Mourn greatly, Beth Ezel: your treasures are taken away.

12. For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good: but evil came down from the LORD unto the gate of Jerusalem.

12. Surely they trembled, the people in Maroth, when calamity came down from Yahweh to the gates of Jerusalem.

13. O thou inhabitant of Lachish, bind the chariot to the swift beast: she [is] the beginning of the sin to the daughter of Zion: for the transgressions of Israel were found in thee.

13. Hitch the horses to the chariot, citizens of Lachish. In you the rebellions of Israel were found and because of you Zion began to sin.

14. Therefore shalt thou give presents to Moreshethgath: the houses of Achzib [shall be] a lie to the kings of Israel.

14. Therefore you must give a redress to Moresheth-Gath. The houses of Achzib have become deceitful to the kings of Israel.

15. Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah: he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel.

15. Again I will bring the conqueror to you, people of Maresha, and the elite of Israel will leave forever.

16. Make thee bald, and poll thee for thy delicate children; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee.

16. Shave your hair for your delightful children. Make yourself bald as an eagle for they have been deported far from you.