Micah 6

1 Hear ye now what Jehovah saith: Arise, contend before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.

Listen to what the Lord is saying. Stand up and plead your case. Let the mountains and the hills hear your voice.

2 Hear, ye mountains, Jehovah's controversy, and ye, unchanging foundations of the earth; for Jehovah hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel.

And now, mountains, hear the Lord's argument. Listen, everlasting foundations of the earth, for the Lord has a case against his people. He will bring charges against Israel.

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

My people, what have I done to you? What is it that I have done to make you tired of me?

4 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.

For I brought you out of the land of Egypt and rescued you from slavery. I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to lead you.

5 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 Jehovah.

My people, remember what Balak, king of Moab, planned to do, and what Balaam, son of Beor, told him, and what happened from Shittim to Gilgal, so you could know all the good things the Lord does.

6 Wherewith shall I come before Jehovah, bow myself before the high God? Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves of a year old?

What should I take with me when I approach the Lord, when I bow down before the God of heaven? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?

7 Will Jehovah take pleasure in thousands of rams, in 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?

Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Shall I sacrifice my firstborn child for my rebellion, my own flesh and blood for the sins I have committed?

8 He hath shewn thee, O man, what is good: and what doth Jehovah require of thee, but to do justly, and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with thy God?

The Lord has told you what is good, and what the Lord asks from you: to do what is right, to love kindness, and to walk in humility with your God.

9 Jehovah's voice crieth unto the city, and wisdom looketh on thy name. Hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.

The voice of the Lord calls to the city—to respect your name is to be wise—pay attention to the rod and who summoned it.

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

Are there still ill-gotten gains in the houses of the wicked? Are they still using dishonest measures in selling grain?

11 Shall I be pure with the unjust balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights?

How can I accept those who use unfair scales and dishonest weights?

12 For her rich men are full of violence, and her inhabitants speak lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.

Your rich people make money by using violence; they tell lies and practice deceit.

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

So I will strike you to make you ill; I will ruin you because of your sins.

14 Thou shalt eat, and not be satisfied, and thine emptiness [shall remain] in the midst of thee; and thou shalt take away, and not save; and what thou savest will I give up to the sword.

You will eat, but never be satisfied; inside you will still feel hungry. Even though you try to save money, what you save won't be worth anything because I will give it 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 new wine, but shalt not drink wine.

You will sow, but you won't reap; you will press your olives, but not use the oil; you will make your wine, but drink none of it.

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 a hissing; and ye shall bear the reproach of my people.

You have kept the laws of Omri, and adopted all the practices of the house of Ahab, you have followed their ways. So I will make your country desolate and the people who live there an object of scorn; you will bear the shame of my people.