Micah 6

1Hear ye now what Jehovah saith: Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.

1Listen now to what the LORD is saying: Get up, present your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear what you have to say.

2Hear, O ye mountains, Jehovah’s controversy, and ye enduring foundations of the earth; for Jehovah hath a controversy with his people, and he will contend with Israel.

2Hear the LORD’S legal case, you mountains and you everlasting foundations of the earth; for the LORD has a dispute with His people, and He will present His charges against Israel.

3O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me.

3My people, what have I done to you? How have I made you tired of me? Answer me.

4For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of bondage; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.

4I brought you up from the land of Egypt and rescued you from the place of slavery; I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to lead you.

5O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him; remember from Shittim unto Gilgal, that ye may know the righteous acts of Jehovah.

5My people, remember what Balak king of Moab planned and what Balaam son of Beor answered him. Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal, so that you may recognize the righteous acts of the LORD.

6Wherewith shall I come before Jehovah, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves a year old?

6How should I come before the LORD and bow down before the God on high? Should I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves that are a year old?

7will Jehovah be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

7Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams or with ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Should I give my firstborn son for my wrongdoing, the child of my own body for my soul's sin?

8He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth Jehovah require of thee, but to do justly, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with thy God?

8O man, He has told you what is good. What does the LORD require of you? Only to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

9The voice of Jehovah crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom will see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.

9The voice of the LORD shouts to the city—and it is wise to respect Your name: Listen to the rod of punishment and to the One who ordained it.

10Are there yet treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and a scant measure that is abominable?

10Are there still ill-gotten treasures in the houses of the wicked, and the honest-hating short-measure?

11Shall I be pure with wicked balances, and with a bag of deceitful weights?

11Can I overlook the use of dishonest scales and a bag of fake weights?

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

12The wealthy people of the city are full of violence; its inhabitants are habitual liars, and their tongues speak only deceit.

13Therefore I also have smitten thee with a grievous wound; I have made thee desolate because of thy sins.

13Therefore, I have begun to strike you with a terrible wound; I have brought ruin upon you because of your sins.

14Thou shalt eat, but not be satisfied; and thy humiliation shall be in the midst of thee: and thou shalt put away, but shalt not save; and that which thou savest will I give up to the sword.

14You will eat but not be satisfied; you will still be hungry. You will try to save your possessions but will not keep them, and what you do save I will hand over to the sword.

15Thou shalt sow, but shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olives, but shalt not anoint thee with oil; and the vintage, but shalt not drink the wine.

15You will plant seeds but will not harvest the crop; you will crush olives but will not use the oil; you will tread grapes but will not drink the wine.

16For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels; that I may make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof a hissing: and ye shall bear the reproach of my people.

16You have kept the laws of Omri and followed all the practices of Ahab’s family; you have lived by their advice. Therefore, I will make you a total ruin and your people an object of scorn; you will bear the insults directed at my people.