Micah 6

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

Hear now what the Lord is saying: Arise, present your complaint before the mountains, let the hills hear your voice!

2 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.

Hear, mountains, the Lord’s accusation, listen, foundations of the earth. For the Lord has a case against his people. He has a dispute with Israel.

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

‘My people, what have I done to you. How have I displeased you? Answer me!

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

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

5 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.

My people, what did Balak, king of Moab counsel? And how did Balaam, the son of Beor, answer him? Remember now the journey from Shittim to Gilgal, so that you might realise the just deeds of the Lord.’

6 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?

With what should I come before the Lord? Bow myself before the God on high? Should I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves a year old?

7 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?

Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, With ten thousand streams of oil? Should I give him my firstborn son for my guilt, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

8 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.

The Lord has told you what is good, what he demands of you: Only to do justice and love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

9 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.

Listen! The Lord calls to the city! Listen, tribe and assembly of the city!

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

‘Can I forget the hoarded treasures in the houses of the wicked, and the accursed scant measure?

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

Can I leave her unpunished because of evil scales, and the bag of false weights?

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

Whose rich people are full of violence, her inhabitants liars, whose tongues speak deceit?

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

‘But I indeed, have begun to punish you, to lay you in ruins because of your sins.

14 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.

You will eat but not be satisfied, your stomach empty within you. You will store up but lose everything, because whatever you save I will give to the sword.

15 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.

You will sow but not reap. You will tread the olives but have no oil for rubbing, tread grapes but drink no wine!

16 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.

‘For you have followed the commands of Omri, and all the practices of the house of Ahab. You have acted in accord with their counsels, so I will give you up to ruin, the city’s inhabitants to derision. The nations will treat you with contempt!’