Micah 6

1 Do but hear now what the Lord saith, Arise, contend thou 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, O mountains, the controversy of the Lord, and ye strong foundations of the earth! for the Lord hath a controversy with his people, and with Israel will he plead.

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 wherewith 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 Although I had brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of bond-men; 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 O my people, do but remember what Balak the king of Moab resolved, and what Bil'am the son of Be'or answered him, from Shittim unto Gilgal, in order that ye may know the gracious benefits of the Lord.

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 the Lord, bow myself before the God on high? 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 the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with myriads of streams of oil? shall I give my first-born 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 told thee, O man, what is good; and what the Lord doth require of thee: [nothing] but to do justice, and to love kindness, 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 The voice of the Lord calleth unto the city, —and [the man of] wisdom shall see thy name: —hear ye the rod [of punishment], and who hath ordained 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 in the house of the wicked man the treasures of wickedness, and the scant accursed measure?

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

11 Can I be pure with wicked balances, and with a bag [full] of deceptive 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 have spoken falsehood, and their tongue is deceit [itself] in their mouth.

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

13 Therefore have I also smitten thee with sore wounds, making [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 wilt indeed eat, but not be satisfied; and what thou hast eaten shall bend thee down; and thou wilt overtake [the enemy], but thou shalt not deliver; and that which thou deliverest 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 wilt indeed sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou wilt indeed tread out olives, but thou shalt not anoint thyself with oil; and the juice of the grapes, but thou 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 there are observed the statutes of 'Omri, and all the works of the house of Achab, and ye walk in their counsels: in order that I should give thee up unto desolation, and thy inhabitants to derision; 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.