1 H ear, I pray you, that which Jehovah is saying: `Rise -- strive thou with the mountains, And cause thou the hills to hear thy voice.'

Listen to what the Lord says: “Stand up and make your cause known in front of the mountains. Let the hills hear your voice.

2 H ear, O mountains, the strife of Jehovah, Ye strong ones -- foundations of earth! For a strife to Jehovah, with His people, And with Israel He doth reason.

Listen to the Lord’s cause, you mountains and bases of the earth that last forever. The Lord has something against His people, and will speak against Israel.

3 O My people, what have I done to thee? And what -- have I wearied thee? Testify against Me.

My people, what have I done to you? How have I made it hard for you? Answer Me.

4 F or I brought thee up from the land of Egypt, And from the house of servants I have ransomed thee, And I send before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.

I brought you out of the land of Egypt. I took you out of the land where you were servants. And I sent Moses, Aaron and Miriam to lead you.

5 O My people, remember, I pray you, What counsel did Balak king of Moab, What answer him did Balaam son of Beor, (From Shittim unto Gilgal,) In order to know the righteous acts of Jehovah.'

My people, remember what Balak king of Moab said, and what Balaam son of Beor answered him. Remember what happened from Shittim to Gilgal, so that you may know the good things the Lord has done.” What the Lord Wants

6 W ith what do I come before Jehovah? Do I bow to God Most High? Do I come before Him with burnt-offerings? With calves -- sons of a year?

What should I bring to the Lord when I bow down before the God on high? Should I come to Him with burnt gifts, with calves a year old?

7 I s Jehovah pleased with thousands of rams? With myriads of streams of oil? Do I give my first-born my transgression? The fruit of my body the sin of my soul?

Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with 10, 000 rivers of oil? Should I give my first-born to pay for not obeying? Should I give the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

8 H e hath declared to thee, O man, what good; Yea, what is Jehovah requiring of thee, Except -- to do judgment, and love kindness, And lowly to walk with thy God?

O man, He has told you what is good. What does the Lord ask of you but to do what is fair and to love kindness, and to walk without pride with your God? Israel Is Punished

9 A voice of Jehovah to the city calleth, And wisdom doth fear Thy name, Hear ye the rod, and Him who appointed it.

The voice of the Lord is calling to the city, and it is wise to fear Your name: “Listen, O family of Judah, you who are gathered in the city.

10 A re there yet the house of the wicked Treasures of wickedness, And the abhorred scanty ephah?

O sinful house, can I forget the riches you got by wrong-doing? You lied about the weight of things, which I hate.

11 D o I reckon pure with balances of wickedness? And with a bag of deceitful stones?

Can I make a man not guilty who lies and has false weights in his bag?

12 W hose rich ones have been full of violence, And its inhabitants have spoken falsehood, And their tongue deceitful in their mouth.

The rich men of the city have hurt many people. Her people are liars. Their tongues in their mouths speak false words.

13 A nd I also, I have begun to smite thee, To make desolate, because of thy sins.

So I have begun to punish you, to destroy you because of your sins.

14 T hou -- thou eatest, and thou art not satisfied, And thy pit in thy midst, And thou removest, and dost not deliver, And that which thou deliverest, to a sword I give.

You will eat, but you will not be filled. Your stomachs will still be empty. You will store up, but save nothing. And what you save I will give to the sword.

15 T hou -- thou sowest, and thou dost not reap, Thou -- thou treadest the olive, And thou pourest not out oil, And new wine -- and thou drinkest not wine.

You will plant, but you will not gather. You will crush the olive, but you will not pour oil on yourself. You will crush the grapes, but you will not drink wine.

16 A nd kept habitually are the statutes of Omri, And all the work of the house of Ahab, And ye do walk in their counsels, For My giving thee for a desolation, And its inhabitants for a hissing, And the reproach of My people ye do bear!

You have kept the laws of Omri and all the works of the people of Ahab. You have followed their ways. So I will give you up to be destroyed, and your people will be made fun of. You, My people, will be put to shame.”