6:1 Listen to what the LORD says: “Stand up, plead your case before the mountains; let the hills hear what you have to say.
6:2 Hear, O mountains, the LORD’S accusation; listen, you everlasting foundations of the earth. For the LORD has a case against his people; he is lodging a charge against Israel.
6:3 “My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me.
6:4 I brought you up out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. I sent Moses to lead you, also Aaron and Miriam.
6:5 My people, remember what Balak king of Moab counseled and what Balaam son of Beor answered. Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of the LORD.”
6:6 With what shall I come before the LORD and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?
6:7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
6:8 He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
6:9 Listen! The LORD is calling to the city–and to fear your name is wisdom–“Heed the rod and the One who appointed it.
6:10 Am I still to forget, O wicked house, your ill-gotten treasures and the short ephah, which is accursed?
6:11 Shall I acquit a man with dishonest scales, with a bag of false weights?
6:12 Her rich men are violent; her people are liars and their tongues speak deceitfully.
6:13 Therefore, I have begun to destroy you, to ruin you because of your sins.
6:14 You will eat but not be satisfied; your stomach will still be empty. You will store up but save nothing, because what you save I will give to the sword.
6:15 You will plant but not harvest; you will press olives but not use the oil on yourselves, you will crush grapes but not drink the wine.
6:16 You have observed the statutes of Omri and all the practices of Ahab’s house, and you have followed their traditions. Therefore I will give you over to ruin and your people to derision; you will bear the scorn of the nations.”
6:1 Hear now what Jehovah says: / Arise, contend before the mountains, / And let the hills hear your voice.
6:2 Hear, O mountains, Jehovah’s contention, / And you enduring foundations of the earth; / For Jehovah has a contention with His people, / And with Israel He will dispute.
6:3 O My people, what have I done to You? / And with what have I wearied you? Testify against Me.
6:4 For I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, / And from the slave house I redeemed you; / And I sent before you Moses, / Aaron, and Miriam.
6:5 O My people, remember now what Balak the king of Moab counseled, / And what Balaam the son of Beor answered him, / From Shittim to Gilgal, / That you may know the righteous acts of Jehovah.
6:6 With what shall I come before Jehovah / And bow myself before the high God? / Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, / With one-year-old calves?
6:7 Will Jehovah be pleased with thousands of rams, / With tens of thousands of rivers of oil? / Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, / The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
6:8 He has declared to you, O man, what is good; / And what does Jehovah require of you, / But that you would execute justice and love mercy / And walk humbly with your God?
6:9 The voice of Jehovah cries out to the city, / And wisdom looks upon Your name. / Hear the rod and Him who appointed it.
6:10 Are there yet treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, / And a scant measure that is abominable?
6:11 Shall I be pure with wicked balances / And with a bag of deceitful weights?
6:12 For the rich men of the city are full of violence, / And those who inhabit it speak falsehood, / And their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.
6:13 Thus I also have made you sick by striking you; / I have made you desolate because of your sins.
6:14 You will eat, but you will not be satisfied; / And your emptiness will remain in the midst of you; / And you will take away, / But you will not rescue, / And what you rescue I will give up to the sword.
6:15 You will sow, / But you will not reap; / You will tread olives, / But you will not anoint yourself with oil, / And the new wine, / But you will not drink wine.
6:16 For the statutes of Omri are kept, / And all the works of the house of Ahab; / And you walk in their counsels, / That I may make you a desolation, / And the inhabitants of the city a hissing; / And you will bear the reproach of My people.