מיכה 4

1 והיה באחרית הימים יהיה הר בית יהוה נכון בראש ההרים ונשא הוא מגבעות ונהרו עליו עמים

Yahweh [says that] some day his temple will be on top of a mountain, and that mountain will be the most important [MET] one on the earth; it will be [as though it is] higher than all the hills, and huge groups of people from all over the world will come there [to worship].

2 והלכו גוים רבים ואמרו לכו ונעלה אל הר יהוה ואל בית אלהי יעקב ויורנו מדרכיו ונלכה בארחתיו כי מציון תצא תורה ודבר יהוה מירושלם

[People from] many nations will say [to each other], “Let’s go to the mountain where Yahweh is, to the temple where we can worship the God whom Jacob [worshiped]. There God will teach us how he wants us to conduct our lives, and we will do what he wants us to do.” Zion [Hill] is the place where he will teach [people]; and [people will go] out from Jerusalem [to tell others] his messages.

3 ושפט בין עמים רבים והוכיח לגוים עצמים עד רחוק וכתתו חרבתיהם לאתים וחניתתיהם למזמרות--לא ישאו גוי אל גוי חרב ולא ילמדון עוד מלחמה

Yahweh will settle disputes between many people, and he will [also] settle disputes between powerful nations that are far away. Then people will hammer their swords to cause them to become plow blades, and [hammer] their spears to cause them to become pruning knives. [Armies of] nations will no [longer] fight against [armies of other] nations, and they will no longer train [men how to fight] in wars.

4 וישבו איש תחת גפנו ותחת תאנתו--ואין מחריד כי פי יהוה צבאות דבר

Everyone will sit [peacefully] under his own grapevines, and under his own fig trees; no one will cause them to be afraid. [That is what will surely happen] because the Commander of the armies of angels has said it.

5 כי כל העמים ילכו איש בשם אלהיו ואנחנו נלך בשם יהוה אלהינו--לעולם ועד

Many [HYP] [of the people of other] nations will worship [IDM] their own gods, but we will worship Yahweh our God always, forever.

6 ביום ההוא נאם יהוה אספה הצלעה והנדחה אקבצה ואשר הרעתי

Yahweh says, “There will soon be a time when I will gather the people whom I have punished, who have been (exiled/forced to go to other countries), all those whom [I have caused to] suffer much.

7 ושמתי את הצלעה לשארית והנהלאה לגוי עצום ומלך יהוה עליהם בהר ציון מעתה ועד עולם

My people who did not die while they were exiled will become a strong nation [again]. Then [I], Yahweh, will be their king, and I will rule from Jerusalem forever.

8 ואתה מגדל עדר עפל בת ציון--עדיך תאתה ובאה הממשלה הראשנה ממלכת לבת ירושלם

As for you people of Jerusalem [MET], you who [guard all of my people] like [MET] [a shepherd guards his sheep] from a tower, you [who live on] Zion [Hill], will have great power again. You people who live in Jerusalem will again rule like you did previously.

9 עתה למה תריעי רע המלך אין בך אם יועצך אבד--כי החזיקך חיל כיולדה

[So] why [RHQ] are you wailing now? Is it because you have no king? Have all your wise people died? You are groaning loudly like [SIM] a woman who is giving birth to a baby.

10 חולי וגחי בת ציון כיולדה כי עתה תצאי מקריה ושכנת בשדה ובאת עד בבל שם תנצלי--שם יגאלך יהוה מכף איביך

[Well], you people of Jerusalem should writhe and groan like [SIM] a woman who is having birth pains, because now you must leave this city, and [while you are traveling], you will set up tents in open fields [at night]; you will go to [live in] Babylon. [But while you are] there, [I], Yahweh, will rescue you; I will free you from the power/control [MTY] of your enemies.

11 ועתה נאספו עליך גוים רבים--האמרים תחנף ותחז בציון עינינו

Now [the armies of] many nations have gathered to attack you. They are saying, ‘Jerusalem must be destroyed! We want to see this city [when it becomes ruins]!’

12 והמה לא ידעו מחשבות יהוה ולא הבינו עצתו כי קבצם כעמיר גרנה

But they do not know what [I], Yahweh, think, and they do not understand what I plan: I will gather them [and punish them] like [SIM] [farmers] thresh grain on the ground.

13 קומי ודושי בת ציון כי קרנך אשים ברזל ופרסתיך אשים נחושה והדקות עמים רבים והחרמתי ליהוה בצעם וחילם לאדון כל הארץ

So, you people of Jerusalem, rise up and punish [MET] [the nations who oppose you]. I will cause you [to be very strong], [as if] [MET] you had horns made of iron, [as if] [MET] you had hoofs made of bronze; and you will crush many nations. And [then you will take] from your enemies the valuable things that they have taken [from other countries], and you will dedicate those things to [me, the one who is] the Lord of all [the people on] the earth.”