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.

Now listen to what Yahweh says, “Arise and state your case 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.

Listen to Yahweh's lawsuit, you mountains, and you enduring foundations of the earth. For Yahweh has a lawsuit with his people, and he will fight in court against 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 wearied you? Testify against 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 out of the land of Egypt and rescued you out of the house of bondage. I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to 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, remember what Balak king of Moab devised, and how Balaam son of Beor answered him as you went from Shittim to Gilgal, so you may know the righteous acts of Yahweh.”

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?

What should I bring to Yahweh, as I bow down to the high God? Should I come to 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 Yahweh be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousand rivers of oil? Should I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for my own sin?

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.

He has told you, man, what is good, and what Yahweh requires from you: Act justly, love kindness, and 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.

The voice of Yahweh is making a proclamation to the city— even now wisdom acknowledges your name: “Pay attention to the rod, and to the one who has put it in place.

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

There is wealth in the houses of the wicked that is dishonest, and false measures that are abominable.

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

Should I consider a person to be innocent if he uses fraudulent scales, with a bag of deceptive weights?

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

The rich men are full of violence, the inhabitants have spoken lies, and their tongue in their mouth is deceitful.

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

Therefore I will strike you with a terrible blow, and I will make you desolate 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 emptiness will remain inside you. You will store goods away but not save, and what you do 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 not anoint yourselves with oil; you will press 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.

The regulations made by Omri have been kept, and all the deeds of the house of Ahab. You walk by their advice. So I will make you, city, a ruin, and you inhabitants an object of hissing, and you will bear the reproach of my people.”