¹Listen now to what the LORD says:

“Arise , plead your case before the mountains ,

and let the hills hear what you have to say .

²Hear , you mountains , the LORD ’s indictment ,

and you enduring foundations of the earth;

for the LORD has a case against his people ,

and he will contend with Israel .

³My people , what have I done to you ?

How have I burdened you ?

Answer me !

⁴For I brought you up out of the land of Egypt ,

and redeemed you out of the house of bondage .

I sent before you Moses , Aaron, and Miriam .

⁵My people , remember now what Balak king of Moab devised ,

and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim to Gilgal ,

that you may know the righteous acts of the LORD .”

⁶How shall I come before the LORD ,

and bow myself before the exalted God ?

Shall I come before him with burnt offerings ,

with calves a year old ?

⁷Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams?

With tens of thousands of rivers of oil ?

Shall I give my firstborn for my disobedience?

The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul ?

⁸He has shown you , O man , what is good .

What does the LORD require of you , but to act justly ,

to love mercy , and to walk humbly with your God ?

⁹The LORD ’s voice calls to the city —

and wisdom fears your name —

“Listen to the rod ,

and he who appointed it .

¹⁰Are there yet treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked ,

and a short ephah that is accursed?

¹¹Shall I tolerate dishonest scales ,

and a bag of deceitful weights?

¹²Her rich men are full of violence ,

her inhabitants speak lies ,

and their tongue is deceitful in their speech .

¹³Therefore I also have struck you with a grievous wound.

I have made you desolate because of your sins .

¹⁴You shall eat, but not be satisfied .

Your hunger will be within you .

You will store up , but not save,

and that which you save I will give up to the sword .

¹⁵You will sow , but won’t reap .

You will tread the olives , but won’t anoint yourself with oil ;

and crush grapes , but won’t drink the wine .

¹⁶For the statutes of Omri are kept ,

and all the works of Ahab’s house .

You walk in their counsels ,

that I may make you a ruin,

and your inhabitants a hissing .

You will bear the reproach of my people .”