Mika 6

1 Whakarongo koutou inaianei ki te kupu i korerotia e Ihowa: Whakatika, totohe ki nga maunga, kia rangona hoki tou reo e nga pukepuke.

Hear now what the Lord is saying: Arise, present your complaint before the mountains, let the hills hear your voice!

2 Whakarongo, e nga maunga nei, ki ta Ihowa totohe, e koutou hoki, e nga turanga kaha o te whenua: he totohe hoki ta Ihowa ki tana iwi, a ka riria e ia te he o Iharaira.

Hear, mountains, the Lord’s accusation, listen, foundations of the earth. For the Lord has a case against his people. He has a dispute with Israel.

3 E taku iwi, i aha ahau ki a koe? he ahatanga naku i hoha ai koe? whakaaturia mai toku he.

‘My people, what have I done to you. How have I displeased you? Answer me!

4 Naku na hoki koe i kawe mai i te whenua o Ihipa, naku ano koe i hoko i roto i te whare pononga; a i unga atu e ahau a Mohi, a Arona, a Miriama ki mua i a koe.

For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, from the land of slavery I redeemed you. I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to lead you.

5 Kia mahara, e taku iwi, ki te whakaaro i whakatakotoria e Paraka kingi o Moapa, ki te kupu hoki i whakahokia ki a ia e Paraama tama a Peoro; maharatia i Hitimi tae noa ki Kirikara, kia mohio ai koutou ki nga mahi tika a Ihowa.

My people, what did Balak, king of Moab counsel? And how did Balaam, the son of Beor, answer him? Remember now the journey from Shittim to Gilgal, so that you might realise the just deeds of the Lord.’

6 He aha taku e haere ai ahau ki te aroaro o Ihowa, e piko ai ki te Atua i runga? he patunga tapu ranei te mea e haere ai ahau ki tona aroaro, he kuao tautahi ranei?

With what should I come before the Lord? Bow myself before the God on high? Should I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves a year old?

7 E manako ranei a Ihowa ki nga mano o nga hipi toa, ki nga mano kotahi tekau ranei o nga awa hinu? me hoatu ranei e ahau taku matamua hei utu mo taku poka ke, te hua o toku kopu mo te hara o toku wairua?

Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, With ten thousand streams of oil? Should I give him my firstborn son for my guilt, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

8 Kua whakaaturia e ia ki a koe, e te tangata, te mea pai; a he aha ta Ihowa e rapu nei ki a koe, heoi ano ko te whakawa tika, ko te pai ki te tohu tangata, ko te whakaiti me te haere tahi i tou Atua?

The Lord has told you what is good, what he demands of you: Only to do justice and love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

9 E karanga ana te reo o Ihowa ki te pa, a ka kite te tangata whakaaro nui i tou ingoa; whakarongo ki te whiu, ki a ia hoki nana i whakarite.

Listen! The Lord calls to the city! Listen, tribe and assembly of the city!

10 Tera ano ranei nga taonga o te kino kei roto i te whare o te tangata kino, me te mehua iti, whakarihariha ano?

‘Can I forget the hoarded treasures in the houses of the wicked, and the accursed scant measure?

11 Ka ma ranei ahau ki te kino nga pauna, ki te tinihanga nga weti i roto i te putea?

Can I leave her unpunished because of evil scales, and the bag of false weights?

12 Ki tonu na hoki i te tutu ona tangata taonga, a kua korero teka ona tangata, kei te tinihanga hoki o ratou arero i roto i o ratou mangai.

Whose rich people are full of violence, her inhabitants liars, whose tongues speak deceit?

13 Mo reira kua whiua hoki koe e ahau ki te mate taimaha: kua meinga koe e ahau kia mokemoke, hei utu mo ou hara.

‘But I indeed, have begun to punish you, to lay you in ruins because of your sins.

14 Ka kai koe, a kahore e makona; ka waiho ano tou whakaitinga i waenganui i a koe; ka tangohia atu ano e koe, heoi e kore e haere ora i a koe; ko te mea hoki e mauria atu e koe ka hoatu e ahau ki te hoari.

You will eat but not be satisfied, your stomach empty within you. You will store up but lose everything, because whatever you save I will give to the sword.

15 Ka whakato koe, a e kore e kokoti; ka takahi koe i te oriwa, a e kore e whakawahi i a koe ki te hinu; i te waina hou, a e kore e inu i te waina.

You will sow but not reap. You will tread the olives but have no oil for rubbing, tread grapes but drink no wine!

16 No te mea e mau ana nga tikanga a Omori, me nga mahi katoa a te whare o Ahapa, a e haere ana koutou i runga i o ratou whakaaro; kia meinga ai koe e ahau kia ururua, a ko nga tangata o kona hei whakahianga atu; a ka mau ki a koutou te ingoa kino o taku iwi.

‘For you have followed the commands of Omri, and all the practices of the house of Ahab. You have acted in accord with their counsels, so I will give you up to ruin, the city’s inhabitants to derision. The nations will treat you with contempt!’