Micah 6

“Arise, plead your case before the mountains,

and let the hills hear what you have to say.

²Hear, you mountains, Yahweh’s indictment,

and you enduring foundations of the earth;

for Yahweh has a case against his people,

and he will contend with Israel.

³My people, what have I done to you?

How have I burdened you?

Answer me!

⁴For 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.

⁵My 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.”

⁶How 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?

⁷Will 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?

⁸He 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?

⁹Yahweh’s voice calls to the city—

and wisdom fears your name—

“Listen to the rod,

and he who appointed it.

¹⁰Are there yet treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked,

and a short ephah that is accursed?

¹¹Shall I tolerate dishonest scales,

and a bag of deceitful weights?

¹²Her rich men are full of violence,

her inhabitants speak lies,

and their tongue is deceitful in their speech.

¹³Therefore I also have struck you with a grievous wound.

I have made you desolate because of your sins.

¹⁴You shall eat, but not be satisfied.

Your hunger will be within you.

You will store up, but not save,

and that which you save I will give up to the sword.

¹⁵You 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.

¹⁶For 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 your inhabitants a hissing.

You will bear the reproach of my people.”