1Hear ye now what Jehovah saith: Arise, contend before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.

2Hear, ye mountains, Jehovah's controversy, and ye, unchanging foundations of the earth; for Jehovah hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel.

3O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me.

4For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of bondage; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.

5My people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him, from Shittim unto Gilgal, that ye may know the righteousness of Jehovah.

6Wherewith shall I come before Jehovah, bow myself before the high ⁵God? Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves of a year old?

7Will Jehovah take pleasure in thousands of rams, in ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

8He hath shewn thee, O man, what is good: and what doth Jehovah require of thee, but to do justly, and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with thy ⁶God?

9Jehovah's voice crieth unto the city, and wisdom looketh on thy name. Hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.

10Are there yet treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure [which is] abominable?

11Shall I be pure with the unjust balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights?

12For her rich men are full of violence, and her inhabitants speak lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.

13Therefore also will I make [thee] sick in smiting thee; I will make [thee] desolate because of thy sins.

14Thou shalt eat, and not be satisfied, and thine emptiness [shall remain] in the midst of thee; and thou shalt take away, and not save; and what thou savest will I give up to the sword.

15Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil; and new wine, but shalt not drink wine.

16For 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 a hissing; and ye shall bear the reproach of my people.