1Do but hear now what the Lord saith, Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.
2Hear ye, O mountains, the controversy of the Lord, and ye strong foundations of the earth! for the Lord hath a controversy with his people, and with Israel will he plead.
3O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherewith have I wearied thee? testify against me.
4Although I had brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of bond-men; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
5O my people, do but remember what Balak the king of Moab resolved, and what Bil'am the son of Be'or answered him, from Shittim unto Gilgal, in order that ye may know the gracious benefits of the Lord.
6Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, bow myself before the God on high? shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves of a year old!
7Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with myriads of streams of oil? shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
8He hath told thee, O man, what is good; and what the Lord doth require of thee: [nothing] but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with thy God.
9The voice of the Lord calleth unto the city,—and [the man of] wisdom shall see thy name:—hear ye the rod [of punishment], and who hath ordained it.
10Are there yet in the house of the wicked man the treasures of wickedness, and the scant accursed measure?
11Can I be pure with wicked balances, and with a bag [full] of deceptive weights?
12For her rich men are full of violence, and her inhabitants have spoken falsehood, and their tongue is deceit [itself] in their mouth.
13Therefore have I also smitten thee with sore wounds, making [thee] desolate because of thy sins.
14Thou wilt indeed eat, but not be satisfied; and what thou hast eaten shall bend thee down; and thou wilt overtake [the enemy], but thou shalt not deliver; and that which thou deliverest will I give up to the sword.
15Thou wilt indeed sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou wilt indeed tread out olives, but thou shalt not anoint thyself with oil; and the juice of the grapes, but thou shalt not drink wine.
16For there are observed the statutes of 'Omri, and all the works of the house of Achab, and ye walk in their counsels: in order that I should give thee up unto desolation, and thy inhabitants to derision; and ye shall bear the reproach of my people.