Micah, 6

1. Hear ye now what the LORD saith; Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.

1. Listen to what Yahweh said to me, "Stand up, let the mountains hear your claim, and the hills listen to your plea."

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.

2. Hear, O mountains, Yahweh's complaint! Foundations of the earth, pay attention! For Yahweh has a case against his people, and will argue it with Israel.

3. O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me.

3. "O my people, what have I done to you? In what way have I been a burden to you? Answer 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.

4. I brought you out of Egypt; I rescued you from the land of bondage; I sent Moses, Aaron and Miriam to lead 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.

5. O my people, remember what Balak, king of Moab, plotted, and what Balaam, son of Beor, answered him. Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal, how you have come to know Yahweh's righteous paths."

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?

6. "What shall I bring when I come to Yahweh and bow down before God the most high? Shall I come with burnt offerings, with sacrifices of yearling calves?

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?

7. Will Yahweh be pleased with thousands of rams, with an overabundance of oil libations? Should I offer my firstborn for my sins, the fruit of my body for my wrongdoing?"

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?

8. "You have been told, O man, what is good and what Yahweh requires of you: to do justice, to love mercy, and to 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.

9. The voice of Yahweh calls to the city, in order to save those who fear his Name."

10. Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure [that is] abominable?

10. "Is there still within you unjust wealth and accursed short measure?

11. Shall I count [them] pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights?

11. Shall I approve your false scales and your bags of false 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.

12. O city whose rich are full of violence, whose citizens speak falsehood, men of deceitful tongue!

13. Therefore also will I make [thee] sick in smiting thee, in making [thee] desolate because of thy sins.

13. See, I am striking you a grievous blow, making 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.

14. You shall eat but not be satisfied and your insides will go on crying. What you overtake, you will not carry off, and those who escape I will hand them over 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.

15. You shall sow but not reap. You shall tread your olives, but not anoint yourselves with the oil. You shall tread the grapes but not drink the 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.

16. You keep the rules of Omri and follow the examples of Ahab's court. So I will give you up to devastation, so that your citizens become an object of derision. You shall bear the scorn of the peoples."