Micah 4

1 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be prepared in the top of mountains, and high above the hills: and people shall flow to it.

In the days to come the mountain of the Lord will be established, the house of our God on the top of the mountain, lifted above the hills. All the nations will flow to it,

2 And many nations shall come in haste, and say: Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob: and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth out of Sion, and the word of the Lord out of Jerusalem.

and many peoples will go and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the Lord’s mount, to the house of the God of Jacob, so that he may instruct us in his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.’ For from Zion proceeds instruction and the Lord’s word from Jerusalem.

3 And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off: and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into spades: nation shall not take sword against nation: neither shall they learn war any more.

He will arbitrate between many peoples, and render decisions for numerous nations, They will beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, they will learn war no more.

4 And every man shall sit under his vine, and under his fig tree, and there shall be none to make them afraid: for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken.

They will live each under his vine, and under his fig tree, with none to terrify them. For the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken.

5 For all people will walk every one in the name of his god: but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever.

Each nation trusts in the names of their gods, but we will worship the Lord our God forever.

6 In that day, saith the Lord, I will gather up her that halteth: and her that I had cast out, I will gather up: and her whom I had afflicted.

‘On that day,’ says the Lord, ‘I will assemble the lame. I will gather exiles I punished.

7 And I will make her that halted, a remnant: and her that hath been afflicted, a mighty nation: and the Lord will reign over them in mount Sion, from this time now and for ever.

I will restore the lame as a remnant, the exiles into a great nation. The Lord will rule over them on Mount Zion from that time forever.’

8 And thou, O cloudy tower of the flock, of the daughter of Sion, unto thee shall it come: yea the first power shall come, the kingdom to the daughter of Jerusalem.

But you, watchtower for the flock, hill of the daughter of Zion, to you will return your former rule.

9 Now, why art thou drawn together with grief? Hast thou no king in thee, or is thy counsellor perished, because sorrow hath taken thee as a woman in labour?

So why do you now cry aloud? Haven’t you any king? Or has your counsellor perished, so you writhe in pain like a woman in labour?

10 Be in pain and labour, O daughter of Sion, as a woman that bringeth forth: for now shalt thou go out of the city, and shalt dwell in the country, and shalt come even to Babylon, there thou shalt be delivered: there the Lord will redeem thee out of the hand of thy enemies.

Writhe and scream, daughter of Zion, like a woman in labour! For now you must leave the city and camp in the open field. You will be taken to Babylon, but there will be rescued. There the Lord will save you from the hands of your foes.

11 And now many nations are gathered together against thee, and they say: Let her be stoned: and let our eye look upon Sion.

But now many nations gather against you. They say, ‘Let her be defiled, we will gloat over Zion.’

12 But they have not known the thoughts of the Lord, and have not understood his counsel: because he hath gathered them together as the hay of the floor.

But they do not know the thoughts of the Lord. They do not understand his plan, for he has gathered them like sheaves for the threshing floor.

13 Arise, and tread, O daughter of Sion: for I will make thy horn iron, and thy hoofs I will make brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many peoples, and shalt immolate the spoils of them to the Lord, and their strength to the Lord of the whole earth.

‘Arise, thresh, daughter of Zion. I will make your horns iron, and your hoofs brass, so you might beat in pieces many peoples, and devote to the Lord their spoil, and their wealth to the ruler of all the earth.