| New King James Version | New Living Translation |
| 1Hear now what the LORD says: “Arise, plead your case before the mountains, And let the hills hear your voice. | 1Listen to what the LORD is saying: “Stand up and state your case against me. Let the mountains and hills be called to witness your complaints. |
| 2Hear, O you mountains, the LORD’s complaint, And you strong foundations of the earth; For the LORD has a complaint against His people, And He will contend with Israel. | 2And now, O mountains, listen to the LORD’s complaint! He has a case against his people. He will bring charges against Israel. |
| 3“O My people, what have I done to you? And how have I wearied you? Testify against Me. | 3“O my people, what have I done to you? What have I done to make you tired of me? Answer me! |
| 4For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, I redeemed you from the house of bondage; And I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. | 4For I brought you out of Egypt and redeemed you from slavery. I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to help you. |
| 5O My people, remember now What Balak king of Moab counseled, And what Balaam the son of Beor answered him, From Acacia Grove to Gilgal, That you may know the righteousness of the LORD.” | 5Don’t you remember, my people, how King Balak of Moab tried to have you cursed and how Balaam son of Beor blessed you instead? And remember your journey from Acacia Grove to Gilgal, when I, the LORD, did everything I could to teach you about my faithfulness.” |
| 6With what shall I come before the LORD, And bow myself before the High God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, With calves a year old? | 6What can we bring to the LORD? Should we bring him burnt offerings? Should we bow before God Most High with offerings of yearling calves? |
| 7Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, Ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? | 7Should we offer him thousands of rams and ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Should we sacrifice our firstborn children to pay for our sins? |
| 8He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God? | 8No, O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. Israel’s Guilt and Punishment |
| 9The LORD’s voice cries to the city— Wisdom shall see Your name: “Hear the rod! Who has appointed it? | 9Fear the LORD if you are wise! His voice calls to everyone in Jerusalem: “The armies of destruction are coming; the LORD is sending them. |
| 10Are there yet the treasures of wickedness In the house of the wicked, And the short measure that is an abomination? | 10What shall I say about the homes of the wicked filled with treasures gained by cheating? What about the disgusting practice of measuring out grain with dishonest measures? |
| 11Shall I count pure those with the wicked scales, And with the bag of deceitful weights? | 11How can I tolerate your merchants who use dishonest scales and weights? |
| 12For her rich men are full of violence, Her inhabitants have spoken lies, And their tongue is deceitful in their mouth. | 12The rich among you have become wealthy through extortion and violence. Your citizens are so used to lying that their tongues can no longer tell the truth. |
| 13“Therefore I will also make you sick by striking you, By making you desolate because of your sins. | 13“Therefore, I will wound you! I will bring you to ruin for all your sins. |
| 14You shall eat, but not be satisfied; Hunger shall be in your midst. You may carry some away, but shall not save them; And what you do rescue I will give over to the sword. | 14You will eat but never have enough. Your hunger pangs and emptiness will remain. And though you try to save your money, it will come to nothing in the end. You will save a little, but I will give it to those who conquer you. |
| 15“You shall sow, but not reap; You shall tread the olives, but not anoint yourselves with oil; And make sweet wine, but not drink wine. | 15You will plant crops but not harvest them. You will press your olives but not get enough oil to anoint yourselves. You will trample the grapes but get no juice to make your wine. |
| 16For the statutes of Omri are kept; All the works of Ahab’s house are done; And you walk in their counsels, That I may make you a desolation, And your inhabitants a hissing. Therefore you shall bear the reproach of My people.” | 16You keep only the laws of evil King Omri; you follow only the example of wicked King Ahab! Therefore, I will make an example of you, bringing you to complete ruin. You will be treated with contempt, mocked by all who see you.” |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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