Micah 6

1 Hear ye now what the LORD saith: Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.

Listen now to what the LORD says: “Arise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear what you have to say.

2 Hear, O ye mountains, the LORD’S controversy, and ye enduring foundations of the earth: for the LORD hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel.

Hear, you mountains, the LORD’s indictment, and you enduring foundations of the earth; for the LORD has a case against his people, and he will contend with Israel.

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

My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me!

4 For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of bondage; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.

For I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage. I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.

5 O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him; [remember] from Shittim unto Gilgal, that ye may know the righteous acts of the LORD.

My people, remember now what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of the LORD.”

6 Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old?

How shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the exalted God? 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 ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams? With tens of thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my disobedience? The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

He has shown you, O man, what is good. What does the LORD require of you, but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

9 The voice of the LORD crieth unto the city, and [the man of] wisdom will see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.

The LORD’s voice calls to the city— and wisdom fears your name— “Listen to the rod, and he who appointed it.

10 Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is abominable?

Are there yet treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and a short efah that is accursed?

11 Shall I be pure with wicked balances, and with a bag of deceitful weights?

Shall I tolerate dishonest scales, and a bag of deceitful weights?

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

Her rich men are full of violence, her inhabitants speak lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their speech.

13 Therefore I also have smitten thee with a grievous wound; I have made thee desolate because of thy sins.

Therefore I also have struck you with a grievous wound. I have made you desolate because of your sins.

14 Thou shalt eat, but not be satisfied; and thy humiliation shall be in the midst of thee: and thou shalt remove, but shalt not carry away safe; and that which thou carriest away will I give up to the sword.

You shall eat, but not be satisfied. Your hunger will be within you. You will store up, but not save, and that which you save I will give up to the sword.

15 Thou shalt sow, but shalt not reap: thou shalt tread the olives, but shalt not anoint thee with oil; and the vintage, but shalt not drink the wine.

You will sow, but won’t reap. You will tread the olives, but won’t anoint yourself with oil; and crush grapes, but won’t drink the wine.

16 For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels: that I should make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof an hissing; and ye shall bear the reproach of my people.

For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of Ahab’s house. You walk in their counsels, that I may make you a ruin, and your inhabitants a hissing. You will bear the reproach of my people.”