< Micha Propheta 1 >

1 Verbum Domini, quod factum est ad Michæam Morasthiten, in diebus Ioathan, Achaz, et Ezechiæ regum Iuda: quod vidit super Samariam, et Ierusalem.
[I am] Micah. I am from [the town of] Moresheth [in Judah]. Yahweh gave me these [messages in] visions about Samaria and Jerusalem during the time when Jotham, [and then] Ahaz, and [then] Hezekiah, were the kings of Judah.
2 Audite populi omnes, et attendat terra, et plenitudo eius: et sit Dominus Deus vobis in testem, Dominus de templo sancto suo.
You people everywhere on the earth, pay attention to this [DOU]! Yahweh our God is accusing you from his holy temple [in heaven].
3 Quia ecce Dominus egredietur de loco suo: et descendet, et calcabit super excelsa terræ.
He will come down [from heaven] and walk on the tops of the highest mountains.
4 Et consumentur montes subtus eum: et valles scindentur sicut cera a facie ignis, et sicut aquæ, quæ decurrunt in præceps.
[It will be as though] the mountains will melt under his [feet] like [SIM] wax [melts] in front of a fire, and like [SIM] water [disappears] when it rushes/flows down into a valley.
5 In scelere Iacob omne istud, et in peccatis domus Israel. quod scelus Iacob? nonne Samaria? et quæ excelsa Iudæ? nonne Ierusalem?
Those things will happen because of the terrible sins [DOU] that the people [MTY] of Israel, [the descendants of] Jacob, have committed. But it was [RHQ] [the people of] Samaria [city who persuaded all the people of] Israel to sin, and it was [RHQ] because the people of Jerusalem [set up altars to worship their gods] that [the other people of] Judah [were persuaded to worship idols on] their hilltops.
6 et ponam Samariam quasi acervum lapidum in agro cum plantatur vinea: et detraham in vallem lapides eius, et fundamenta eius revelabo.
So Yahweh will cause Samaria to become a heap [of rubble/ruins]; [it will be only] a field for planting vineyards. He will cause the stones of its [buildings] to roll down into the valley, and the foundations [of the buildings] will be uncovered.
7 Et omnia sculptilia eius concidentur, et omnes mercedes eius comburentur igne, et omnia idola eius ponam in perditionem: quia de mercedibus meretricis congregata sunt, et usque ad mercedem meretricis revertentur.
All the idols in Samaria will be smashed, and the gifts [given to prostitutes at the temples of their idols] will be destroyed in a fire. And because people paid prostitutes there, [their enemies will take away those idols and sell them] to get money to pay to prostitutes [in other countries].
8 Super hoc plangam, et ululabo: vadam spoliatus, et nudus: faciam planctum velut draconum, et luctum quasi struthionum.
Because [Samaria will be destroyed], I will weep and wail. I will walk around (barefoot/without any sandals on my feet) and naked. I will howl like a jackal/wolf and screech like an owl,
9 Quia desperata est plaga eius, quia venit usque ad Iudam, tetigit portam populi mei usque ad Ierusalem.
because Samaria will be completely destroyed [MET]; nothing can save that city. But the same thing will happen to Judah! [It is as though the enemy army] has [already] reached the city gates of Jerusalem, [the main city where] my people [live].
10 In Geth nolite annunciare, lacrymis ne ploretis, in domo Pulveris pulvere vos conspergite.
Do not tell that to [our enemies] in Gath [city in Philistia]! Do not cry, [lest the people there find out what is happening]! [Instead, just] roll in the dirt in Beth-Leaphrah [because the name of that town means ‘house of dust].’
11 Et transite vobis habitatio Pulchra, confusa ignominia: non est egressa quæ habitat in exitu: planctum Domus vicina accipiet ex vobis, quæ stetit sibimet.
You people who live in Shaphir [town, whose name means ‘beautiful],’ naked and ashamed, you will be taken [to another country]. [You people in] Beth-Ezel [town] should mourn, [because] no one from Zaanan [town, whose name means ‘one who goes out],’ will go out to help you.
12 Quia infirmata est in bonum, quæ habitat in amaritudinibus: quia descendit malum a Domino in portam Ierusalem.
[The name of] Maroth [town sounds like ‘bitterness];’ everyone there is anxiously waiting for good things to happen to them, but good things will not happen to them; instead, terrible things are about to happen to them, and it will soon happen at the gates of Jerusalem.
13 Tumultus quadrigæ stuporis habitanti Lachis: principium peccati est filiæ Sion, quia in te inventa sunt scelera Israel.
You people of Lachish [city, whose name sounds like ‘team],’ hitch your horses to pull the chariots [in which you can ride to flee from your enemies]. The Israeli people rebelled against Yahweh, and you (imitated them/did the same evil things that they did), and that caused the people of Jerusalem [IDM] to start sinning, too.
14 Propterea dabit emissarios super hereditatem Geth: domus Mendacii in deceptionem regibus Israel.
[You people of Judah], send a farewell gift to [the people] of Moresheth [town], [because their enemies will soon destroy it]. [The name of the town Aczib means ‘deception],’ and the kings of Israel [will soon find out that the people of that town] will deceive them.
15 Adhuc heredem adducam tibi quæ habitas in Maresa: usque ad Odollam veniet gloria Israel.
[The name of your town of] Mareshah [means ‘conqueror],’ and Yahweh will [soon] send someone to conquer your town. [It will be necessary for] the great/glorious leaders of Israel to go [and hide in the cave at] Adullam [city].
16 Decalvare, et tondere super filios deliciarum tuarum: dilata calvitium tuum sicut aquila: quoniam captivi ducti sunt ex te.
[You people of Judah], shave your heads [while you will be mourning], because your children whom you love will [soon] be (exiled/forced to leave you and go to another country).

< Micha Propheta 1 >