מיכה 6

1 שמעו נא את אשר יהוה אמר קום ריב את ההרים ותשמענה הגבעות קולך

Pay attention to what Yahweh says [to you Israeli people]: “Stand up [in court] and state what you are accusing [me] about. And allow the hills and mountains to hear what you will say.

2 שמעו הרים את ריב יהוה והאתנים מוסדי ארץ כי ריב ליהוה עם עמו ועם ישראל יתוכח

[But then] you mountains must [also] listen [carefully] [DOU] to what I, Yahweh, am complaining [about my people]. I have something to say about what [DOU] my Israeli people are doing that displeases me.

3 עמי מה עשיתי לך ומה הלאתיך ענה בי

My people, what have I done to [cause trouble for] you [RHQ]? What have I done to cause you to experience difficulties? Answer me!

4 כי העלתיך מארץ מצרים ומבית עבדים פדיתיך ואשלח לפניך את משה אהרן ומרים

I [did great things for your ancestors]; I brought them out of Egypt; I rescued them from that land where they were slaves. I sent Moses to [lead] them, and [his older brother] Aaron and [his older sister] Miriam.

5 עמי זכר נא מה יעץ בלק מלך מואב ומה ענה אתו בלעם בן בעור--מן השטים עד הגלגל למען דעת צדקות יהוה

My people, think about when Balak, the king of Moab, requested Beor’s son Balaam [to curse your ancestors], and think about what Balaam replied. Think about [how your ancestors crossed the Jordan River miraculously while] they were traveling from Acacia to Gilgal. [Think about those things in order] that you may know that [I], Yahweh, do what is right.”

6 במה אקדם יהוה אכף לאלהי מרום האקדמנו בעולות בעגלים בני שנה

[The Israeli people ask, ] “What shall we bring to Yahweh [who lives in] heaven when we come to him and bow down before him? Should we bring calves that are a year-old that will be offerings that will be [killed and] completely burned [on the altar]?

7 הירצה יהוה באלפי אילים ברבבות נחלי שמן האתן בכורי פשעי פרי בטני חטאת נפשי

Will Yahweh be pleased [if we offer to him] 1,000 rams and 10,000 streams of [olive] oil? Should we offer our firstborn children [to be sacrifices] to pay for the sins that we have committed [DOU]?”

8 הגיד לך אדם מה טוב ומה יהוה דורש ממך כי אם עשות משפט ואהבת חסד והצנע לכת עם אלהיך

[No, because] he has shown each of us what is good [to do]; he has shown [RHQ] us what he requires each of us [to do]: He wants us to do what is just/fair and to love and to be merciful [to others], and [he wants us] to live humbly [while we fellowship] with him, our God.

9 קול יהוה לעיר יקרא ותושיה יראה שמך שמעו מטה ומי יעדה

“I am Yahweh, so if you are wise, you should revere me. I am calling out to [you people of] Jerusalem, ‘The armies [MET] that will destroy your city are coming, so pay careful attention to me, the one who is causing them to punish you with my rod.

10 עוד האש בית רשע--אצרות רשע ואיפת רזון זעומה

Do you think that [RHQ] I should forget that you wicked people filled your homes with valuable things that you acquired by cheating [others]? Do you think that [RHQ] I should forget that you used false measures [when you bought and sold things]? Those are things that I hate.

11 האזכה במאזני רשע ובכיס אבני מרמה

[Do you think] that [RHQ] I should say nothing about people who use scales that do not weigh correctly, and who use weights that are not accurate?

12 אשר עשיריה מלאו חמס וישביה דברו שקר ולשונם רמיה בפיהם

The rich people among you always act violently [to get money from poor people]. All of the people [in Jerusalem] are liars, and they [SYN] always deceive people.

13 וגם אני החליתי הכותך--השמם על חטאתך

Therefore, I have [already] begun to get rid of you, to ruin you because of the sins that you have committed.

14 אתה תאכל ולא תשבע וישחך בקרבך ותסג ולא תפליט ואשר תפלט לחרב אתן

[Soon] you will eat food, but you will not have enough to satisfy you; your stomachs will [still feel as though they are] empty. You will try to save up [money], but you will not be able to save anything, because I will send your enemies to take it from you in wars [MTY].

15 אתה תזרע ולא תקצור אתה תדרך זית ולא תסוך שמן ותירוש ולא תשתה יין

You will plant [seeds], but you will not harvest [anything]. You will press olives, but [others], not you, will use the [olive] oil. You will trample on grapes [and make wine from the juice], but [others], not you, will drink the wine.

16 וישתמר חקות עמרי וכל מעשה בית אחאב ותלכו במעצותם--למען תתי אתך לשמה וישביה לשרקה וחרפת עמי תשאו

[Those things will happen to you because] you obey [only] the wicked laws of [King] Omri, and [you do the terrible things that wicked King] Ahab and his descendants commanded. So, I will destroy your [country], and I will cause your people to be despised; people [of other nations] will insult you.’”