1 L isten now to what Yahweh says: “Arise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear what you have to say.

¶ Hear ye now what the LORD saith: Arise, contend thou with the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.

2 H ear, you mountains, Yahweh’s controversy, and you enduring foundations of the earth; for Yahweh has a controversy with his people, and he will contend with Israel.

Hear ye, O mountains, the LORD’s controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth; for the LORD has a controversy with his people, and he will reprove Israel.

3 M y people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me!

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

4 F or I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage. I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.

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

5 M y people, remember now what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of Yahweh.”

O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal: that ye may know the righteousness of the LORD.

6 H ow shall I come before Yahweh, and bow myself before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?

¶ With what shall I present myself before the LORD, and how shall I worship the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old?

7 W ill Yahweh be pleased with thousands of rams? With tens of thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my disobedience? The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my rebellion, the fruit of my bowels for the sin of my soul?

8 H e has shown you, O man, what is good. What does Yahweh require of you, but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

He has declared unto thee, O man, what is good and what the LORD requires of thee: only to do right judgment, and to love mercy, and to humble thyself to walk with thy God.

9 Y ahweh’s voice calls to the city, and wisdom sees your name: “Listen to the rod, and he who appointed it.

¶ The LORD’s voice cries out unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the rod, and he who has established it.

10 A re there yet treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and a short ephah that is accursed?

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

11 S hall I be pure with dishonest scales, and with a bag of deceitful weights?

Can I be pure with false balances and with a bag of deceitful weights?

12 H er rich men are full of violence, her inhabitants speak lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their speech.

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

13 T herefore I also have struck you with a grievous wound. I have made you desolate because of your sins.

Therefore I have also made thee weak in smiting thee, in making thee desolate because of thy sins.

14 Y ou shall eat, but not be satisfied. Your humiliation will be within you. You will store up, but not save; and that which you save I will give up to the sword.

Thou shalt eat, but not be satisfied; and thy casting down shall be in the midst of thee; and thou shalt take, but shalt not be saved; and that which thou dost save, I will give it up to the sword.

15 Y ou will sow, but won’t reap. You will tread the olives, but won’t anoint yourself with oil; and crush grapes, but won’t drink the wine.

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

16 F or the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of Ahab’s house. You walk in their counsels, that I may make you a ruin, and her inhabitants a hissing; And you will bear the reproach of my people.”

For the statutes of Omri have been kept and all the works of the house of Ahab, and ye have walked in their counsels that I should make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof a hissing: therefore ye shall bear the reproach of my people.