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1 Now listen to what Yahweh says, "Arise and state your case before the mountains; let the hills hear your voice.
2 Hear, you mountains, Yahweh's accusation, you enduring foundations of the earth. For Yahweh has a lawsuit with his people, and he will fight in court against Israel.
3 My people, what have I done to you? How have I wearied you? Answer me!
4 For I brought you up out of the land of Egypt and rescued you out of the house of bondage. I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to you.
5 My people, remember what Balak king of Moab devised, and how Balaam son of Beor answered him as you went from Shittim to Gilgal, so you may know the righteous acts of Yahweh."
6 What should I bring to Yahweh, as I bow down to God on high? Should I come to him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?
7 Will Yahweh be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousand rivers of oil? Should I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
8 He has told you, man, what is good, and what Yahweh requires from you: Act justly, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God.
9 The voice of Yahweh is making a proclamation to the city— even now wisdom fears your name: "Listen to the rod, and to the one who has put it in place. [[ The copies of the ancient Hebrew text which were translated here read, " Listen to the rod and to the one who has put it in place " , but some modern translations have " Listen, tribe, and those assembled together in the city " . ]]
10 There is wealth in the houses of the wicked that is dishonest, and false measures that are abominable.
11 Should I consider a person to be innocent if he uses fraudulent scales, with a bag of deceptive weights?
12 The rich men are full of violence, the inhabitants have spoken lies, and their tongue in their mouth is deceitful.
13 Therefore I will make you sick, striking you down, making you desolate because of your sins.
14 You will eat but not be satisfied; your emptiness will remain inside you. You will store goods away but not save, and what you do save I will give to the sword. [[ Parts of this verse are difficult to understand, because in the copies of the ancient Hebrew text there are two Hebrew words in it whose meanings are not known. As a result, various other readings have been proposed by scholars and some modern translations follow those suggestions. ]]
15 You will sow but not reap; you will tread the olives but not anoint yourselves with oil; you will press grapes but drink no wine.
16 The statutes made by Omri have been kept, and all the deeds of the house of Ahab. You walk by their advice. So I will make you, city, a ruin, and you inhabitants an object of hissing, and you will bear the reproach of my people." [[ The copies of the ancient Hebrew text have " you will bear the reproach of my people " , but the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew copies reads: " you will bear the scorn of the nations " and some modern translations are following that reading. ]]