1
Hear ye now what the LORDsaith; Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hillshear thy voice.
2
Hear ye, O mountains, the LORD'Scontroversy, and ye strongfoundations of the earth: for the LORD hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel.
3
O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me.
4
For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sentbefore thee Moses,Aaron, and Miriam.
5
O my people,remember now what Balakking of Moabconsulted, and what Balaam the son of Beoranswered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the LORD.
6
Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the highGod? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a yearold?
7
Will 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[a] for the sin of my soul?
8
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORDrequire of thee, but to dojustly, and to lovemercy, and to walk[b]humbly with thy God?
9
The LORD'Svoicecrieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name:hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.
10
Are there yet the treasures of wickedness* in the house of the wicked, and the scantmeasure that is abominable?
11
Shall I count them pure[c] with the wickedbalances, and with the bag of deceitfulweights?
12
For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spokenlies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.
13
Therefore also will I make thee sick in smiting thee, in making thee desolate because of thy sins.
14
Thou 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.
15
Thou 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 drinkwine.
16
For 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.