Micah 6

Hear ye now what the LORD saith; Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.

1Listen to what the LORD says. Stand up and speak your case in front of the mountains. Let the hills hear your voice.

2Hear ye, O mountains, the LORD’s controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the LORD hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel.

2Mountains, listen to the LORD's complaint. You old, strong bottom parts of the earth, listen too. The LORD has a case against his people. He will argue it with Israel.

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

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

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

4"I brought you up out of Egypt. I set you free from being slaves there. I sent Moses ahead of you, and Aaron and Miriam too."

5O 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.

5"My people, remember what Balak, the king of Moab, planned against you. Remember what Balaam son of Beor answered him. Remember your trip from Shittim to Gilgal. Then you will know that the LORD does what is right."

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

6What should I bring when I come to the LORD? What should I bring when I bow low to God most high? Should I bring animals burned up as gifts to him? Should I bring calves that are one year old?

7Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

7Would the LORD be happy with a thousand male sheep? Would he be happy with rivers and rivers of olive oil? Should I give my oldest child to pay for my wrong? Should I give my own child to pay for my sin?

8He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

8He has already told you, friend, what is good. This is what the LORD wants from you. Be fair to other people. Love being kind. Walk with your God without being proud.

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

9The voice of the LORD calls out to the city. It is wise to respect his name. Pay attention to the punishment that is coming. Pay attention to the One who sent it.

Note"Hear ye the rod" uses "rod" to mean a stick used for punishing. Here it stands for the trouble God is sending.

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

10"You wicked people, are your houses still full of things you got by cheating? Are you still using measuring baskets that are too small? I hate that.

NoteA "scant measure" was a basket that held less than it should. Sellers used it to cheat people who were buying grain.

11Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights?

11Should I call people honest when their scales lie? Should I, when their bags are full of false 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 rich people in the city hurt others. The people who live there tell lies. Their mouths are full of tricks.

13Therefore also will I make thee sick in smiting thee, in making thee desolate because of thy sins.

13So I am hitting you hard. I am leaving you empty and ruined because of your sins.

14Thou shalt eat, but not be satisfied; and thy casting down shall be in the midst of thee; and thou shalt take hold, but shalt not deliver; and that which thou deliverest will I give up to the sword.

14You will eat, but you will still feel hungry. That empty feeling will stay with you. You will grab things, but you will not keep them. What you do keep, I will hand over to war.

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

15You will plant seeds, but you will not gather any crop. You will press olives, but you will get no oil to rub on your skin. You will squeeze grapes, but you will drink no wine.

NotePeople back then rubbed olive oil on their skin, the way we use lotion today. That is what "anoint thee with oil" means.

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

16You have kept the rules of King Omri. You do what King Ahab's family did. You follow their advice. So I will leave your land empty. People will laugh at everyone who lives there. Other nations will make fun of you, and you will have to carry that shame."