Micah 6

1 Now listen to what Yahweh says, “Arise and state your case before the mountains; let the hills hear your voice.

Hear now a word: the Lord God has said; Arise, plead with the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice.

2 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.”

Hear you, O mountains, the controversy of the Lord, and [you] valleys [even] the foundations of the earth: for the Lord [has] a controversy with his people, and will plead with Israel.

3 “My people, what have I done to you? How have I wearied you? Testify against me!

O my people, what have I done to you? or wherein have I grieved you? or wherein have I troubled you? answer me.

4 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.

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

5 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.”

O my people, remember now, what counsel Balac king of Moab took against you, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him, from the reeds to Galgal; that the righteousness of the Lord might be known.

6 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?

Wherewithal shall I reach the Lord, [and] lay hold of my God most high? shall I reach him by whole burnt offerings, by calves of a year old?

7 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?

Will the Lord accept thousands of rams, or ten thousands of fat goats? should I give my firstborn for ungodliness, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

8 He has told you, man, what is good, and what Yahweh requires from you: Act justly, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God.

Has it [not] been told you, O man, what [is] good? or what does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, and love mercy, and be ready to walk with the Lord your God?

9 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.

The Lord's voice shall be proclaimed in the city, and he shall save those that fear his name: hear, O tribe; and who shall order the city?

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

[Is there] not fire, and the house of the wicked heaping up wicked treasures, and [that] with the pride of unrighteousness?

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

Shall the wicked be justified by the balanced, or deceitful weights in the bag,

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

whereby they have accumulated their ungodly wealth, and they that dwell in the city have uttered falsehoods, and their tongue has been exalted in their mouth?

13 Therefore I will strike you with a terrible blow, and I will make you desolate because of your sins.

Therefore will I begin to strike you; I will destroy you in your sins.

14 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.

You shall eat, and shall not be satisfied; and there shall be darkness upon you; and he shall depart from [you], and you shall not escape; and all that shall escape shall be delivered over to the sword.

15 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.

You shall sow, but you shall not reap; you shall press the olive, but you shall not anoint yourself with oil; and [shall make] wine, but you shall drink no wine: and the ordinances of my people shall be utterly abolished.

16 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.”

For you have kept the statues of Zambri, and [done] all the works of the house of Achaab; and you have walked in their ways, that I might deliver you to utter destruction, and those that inhabit the city to hissing: and you shall bear the reproach of nations.