1 Y ahweh’s word that came to Micah the Morashtite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

The word of the Lord that came to Micah of Moresheth in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

2 H ear, you peoples, all of you. Listen, O earth, and all that is therein: and let the Lord Yahweh be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.

Hear, all you people; listen closely, O earth and all that is in it, and let the Lord God be witness among you and against you, the Lord from His holy temple.

3 F or, behold, Yahweh comes out of his place, and will come down and tread on the high places of the earth.

For behold, the Lord comes forth out of His place and will come down and tread upon the high places of the earth.

4 T he mountains melt under him, and the valleys split apart, like wax before the fire, like waters that are poured down a steep place.

And the mountains shall melt under Him and the valleys shall be cleft like wax before the fire, like waters poured down a steep place.

5 “ All this is for the disobedience of Jacob, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the disobedience of Jacob? Isn’t it Samaria? And what are the high places of Judah? Aren’t they Jerusalem?

All this is because of the transgression of Jacob and the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? Is it not Samaria? And what are the high places in Judah? Are they not Jerusalem?

6 T herefore I will make Samaria like a rubble heap of the field, like places for planting vineyards; and I will pour down its stones into the valley, and I will uncover its foundations.

Therefore I will make Samaria a heap in the open country, a place for planting vineyards; and I will pour down into the ravine her stones and lay bare her foundations.

7 A ll her idols will be beaten to pieces, and all her temple gifts will be burned with fire, and all her images I will destroy; for of the hire of a prostitute has she gathered them, and to the hire of a prostitute shall they return.”

And all her carved images shall be broken in pieces, and all her hires shall be burned with fire, and all her idols will be laid waste; for from the hire of harlot she gathered them, and to the hire of harlot they shall return.

8 F or this I will lament and wail; I will go stripped and naked; I will howl like the jackals, and moan like the daughters of owls.

Therefore I will lament and wail; I will go stripped and naked; I will make a wailing like the jackals and a lamentation like the ostriches.

9 F or her wounds are incurable; for it has come even to Judah. It reaches to the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.

For wounds are incurable and they come even to Judah; He has reached to the gate of my people, to Jerusalem.

10 D on’t tell it in Gath. Don’t weep at all. At Beth Ophrah I have rolled myself in the dust.

In Gath announce it not; in Acco weep not at all, in Beth-le-aphrah roll yourself in the dust.

11 P ass on, inhabitant of Shaphir, in nakedness and shame. The inhabitant of Zaanan won’t come out. The wailing of Beth Ezel will take from you his protection.

Pass on your way, dwellers of Shaphir, in shameful nakedness. The dwellers of Zaanan dare not come forth; the wailing of Beth-ezel takes away from you the place on which it stands.

12 F or the inhabitant of Maroth waits anxiously for good, because evil has come down from Yahweh to the gate of Jerusalem.

For the inhabitant of Maroth writhes in pain and waits anxiously for good, because evil comes down from the Lord to the gate of Jerusalem.

13 H arness the chariot to the swift steed, inhabitant of Lachish. She was the beginning of sin to the daughter of Zion; For the transgressions of Israel were found in you.

Bind the chariot to the swift steed, O lady inhabitant of Lachish; you were the beginning of sin to the Daughter of Zion, for the transgressions of Israel were found in you.

14 T herefore you will give a parting gift to Moresheth Gath. The houses of Achzib will be a deceitful thing to the kings of Israel.

Therefore you must give parting gifts to Moresheth-gath; the houses of Achzib shall be a deception to the kings of Israel.

15 I will yet bring to you, inhabitant of Mareshah. He who is the glory of Israel will come to Adullam.

Yet will I bring a conqueror upon you, O lady inhabitant of Mareshah, who shall possess you; the glory and nobility of Israel shall come to Adullam.

16 S have your heads, and cut off your hair for the children of your delight. Enlarge your baldness like the vulture; for they have gone into captivity from you!

Make yourself bald in mourning and cut off your hair for the children of your delight; enlarge your baldness as the eagle, for shall be carried from you into exile.