Micah 6

1 Do but hear now what the Lord saith, Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.

Now hear that which YHWH is saying: “Rise—strive with the mountains, And cause the hills to 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.

Hear, O mountains, the strife of YHWH, You strong ones—foundations of earth! For a strife [is] to YHWH, with His people, And with Israel He reasons.

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

O My people, what have I done to you? And how have I wearied you? Testify against 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 up from the land of Egypt, And I have ransomed you from the house of servants, And I send Moses, Aaron, and Miriam before 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.

O My people, please remember What Balak king of Moab counseled, What Balaam son of Beor answered him (From Shittim to Gilgal), In order to know the righteous acts of YHWH.”

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!

With what do I come before YHWH? Do I bow to God Most High? Do I come before Him with burnt-offerings? With calves—sons of a year?

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?

Is YHWH pleased with thousands of rams? With myriads of streams of oil? Do I give my firstborn [for] my transgression? The fruit of my body [for] the sin of my soul?

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.

He has declared to you, O man, what [is] good; Indeed, what is YHWH requiring of you, Except—to do judgment, and love kindness, And to walk lowly 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.

A voice of YHWH calls to the city, And wisdom fears Your Name, “Hear the rod, and Him who appointed it.

10 Are there yet in the house of the wicked man the treasures of wickedness, and the scant accursed measure?

Are there yet [in] the house of the wicked Treasures of wickedness, And the abhorred meager ephah?

11 Can I be pure with wicked balances, and with a bag [full] of deceptive weights?

Do I reckon [it] pure with balances of wickedness? And with a bag of deceitful stones?

12 For her rich men are full of violence, and her inhabitants have spoken falsehood, and their tongue is deceit [itself] in their mouth.

Whose rich ones have been full of violence, And its inhabitants have spoken falsehood, And their tongue [is] deceitful in their mouth.

13 Therefore have I also smitten thee with sore wounds, making [thee] desolate because of thy sins.

And I also, I have begun to strike you, To make desolate, 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 eat, and you are not satisfied, And your pit [is] in your midst, And you remove, and do not deliver, And that which you deliver, I give to a 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 sow, and you do not reap, You tread the olive, And you do not pour out oil, And new wine—and you do not drink wine.

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.

And the statutes of Omri are kept habitually, And all the work of the house of Ahab, And you walk in their counsels, For My giving you for a desolation, And its inhabitants for a hissing, And you bear the reproach of My people!”