1Hear ye now what Hashem saith:
Arise, contend thou before heharim (the mountains),
and let the hills hear thy voice.

2Hear ye, O harim (mountains), the riv Hashem(dispute, case, lawsuit of Hashem);
listen, ye enduring mosedei eretz (foundations of the earth);
for Hashem hath a case against His people,
and He will contend with Yisroel.

3O Ami (My people), what have I done unto thee?
And wherein have I been a burden to thee?
Testify against Me.

4For I brought thee up out of Eretz Mitzrayim,
and redeemed thee out of the bais avadim (house of slaves);
and sent before thee Moshe, Aharon, and Miryam.

5O Ami (My people), remember now
what Balak Melech Moav did plot,
and what Balaam ben Be'or answered him
from Sheetim to Gilgal; ²²
that ye may have da'as of the tzidkot (righteous acts of)Hashem.

6With what shall I come before Hashem,
and bow myself before Elohei Marom (G-d on High)?
Shall I come before Him with olot (burnt offerings),
with calves a year old?

7Will Hashem be pleased with thousands of eilim (rams),
or with ten thousand rivers of shemen (olive oil)?
Shall I give my bechor (firstborn) for my peysha,
the p'ri (fruit) of my beten for the chattat (sin) of my nefesh?

8He hath showed thee, O adam (man), what is tov.
And what doth Hashem require of thee,
but to do mishpat, and ahavat chesed,
and to walk humbly with Eloheicha?

9Hashemʼs voice crieth unto the ir (city):
To fear Thy Shem (Name) is wisdom;
heed the rod and the One who appointed it.

10Are there yet the otzerot (treasures) of wickedness
in the bais rasha (the house of the wicked),
and the scant measure, the too small eifah (bushel) which is accursed?

11Shall I acquit the one with dishonest scales,
and with the bag of mirmah (deceitful) weights? ²³

12For the oisher (the wealthy) thereof are full of chamas (violence), ²⁴
and the inhabitants thereof have spoken sheker,
and their leshon (tongue) is remiyah (guile) in their mouth.

13Therefore also will I make thee sick in striking thee,
in making thee desolate because of chattotecha.

14Thou shalt eat, but not be satisfied;
and thy emptiness remains in thee;
and thou shalt put away but not save;
and that which thou deliverest will I give up to the cherev (sword).

15Thou shalt sow the zera, but thou shalt not reap the katzir (harvest);
thou shalt tread the zayit (olives), but thou shalt not anoint thee with shemen (olive oil);
and yayin shalt thou not drink.

16For the chukkot Omri (statutes of Omri) are kept,
and kol ma'aseh Bais Ach'av (all the works of the House of Ahab);
and ye walk in their mo'atzot (advise, counsel);
therefore, I should make thee a desolation,
and the inhabitants thereof an object of hissing;
therefore ye shall bear the cherpah (scorn, abuse, disgrace) of Ami (My people).