Micah, 6

1. Now listen to what Yahweh says: 'Stand up, state your case to the mountains and let the hills hear what you have to say!'

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

2. Listen, mountains, to the case as Yahweh puts it, give ear, you foundations of the earth, for Yahweh has a case against his people and he will argue it with Israel.

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.

3. 'My people, what have I done to you, how have I made you tired of me? Answer me!

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

4. For I brought you up from Egypt, I ransomed you from the place of slave-labour and sent Moses, Aaron and Miriam to lead you.

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.

5. My people, please remember: what was Balak king of Moab's plan and how did Balaam son of Beor answer him? . . . from Shittim to Gilgal, for you to know Yahweh's saving justice.

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.

6. 'With what shall I enter Yahweh's presence and bow down before God All-high? Shall I enter with burnt offerings, with calves one year old?

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?

7. Will he be pleased with rams by the thousand, with ten thousand streams of oil? Shall I offer my eldest son for my wrong-doing, the child of my own body for my sin?

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?

8. 'You have already been told what is right and what Yahweh wants of you. Only this, to do what is right, to love loyalty and to walk humbly with your God.'

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?

9. Yahweh's voice! He thunders to the city, 'Listen, tribe of assembled citizens!

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.

10. Can I overlook the false measure, that abomination, the short bushel?

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

11. Can I connive at rigged scales and at the bag of fraudulent weights?

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

12. For the rich there are steeped in violence, and the citizens there are habitual liars.

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.

13. 'I myself have therefore begun to strike you down, to bring you to ruin for your sins.

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

14. You will eat but not be satisfied; you will store up but never keep safe; what you do keep safe I shall hand over to the sword;

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.

15. you will sow but will not reap, press the olive but will not rub yourself with oil, tread the grape but will not drink the wine.

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.

16. 'For you keep the laws of Omri; what the House of Ahab did, you have done; by modelling yourselves on their standards, you force me to make an appalling example of you and reduce your citizens to a laughing-stock; hence you will endure the scorn of other people.'

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.