¹ Now listen to what Yahweh says: 'Stand up, state your case to the mountains and let the hills hear what you have to say!'

² Listen, mountains, to the case as Yahweh puts it, give ear, you foundations of the earth, for Yahweh has a case against his people and he will argue it with Israel.

³ 'My people, what have I done to you, how have I made you tired of me? Answer me!

⁴ For I brought you up from Egypt, I ransomed you from the place of slave-labour and sent Moses, Aaron and Miriam to lead you.

⁵ My people, please remember: what was Balak king of Moab's plan and how did Balaam son of Beor answer him? . . . from Shittim to Gilgal, for you to know Yahweh's saving justice.

⁶ 'With what shall I enter Yahweh's presence and bow down before God All-high? Shall I enter with burnt offerings, with calves one year old?

⁷ Will he be pleased with rams by the thousand, with ten thousand streams of oil? Shall I offer my eldest son for my wrong-doing, the child of my own body for my sin?

⁸ 'You have already been told what is right and what Yahweh wants of you. Only this, to do what is right, to love loyalty and to walk humbly with your God.'

⁹ Yahweh's voice! He thunders to the city, 'Listen, tribe of assembled citizens!

¹⁰ Can I overlook the false measure, that abomination, the short bushel?

¹¹ Can I connive at rigged scales and at the bag of fraudulent weights?

¹² For the rich there are steeped in violence, and the citizens there are habitual liars.

¹³ 'I myself have therefore begun to strike you down, to bring you to ruin for your sins.

¹⁴ You will eat but not be satisfied; you will store up but never keep safe; what you do keep safe I shall hand over to the sword;

¹⁵ you will sow but will not reap, press the olive but will not rub yourself with oil, tread the grape but will not drink the wine.

¹⁶ 'For you keep the laws of Omri; what the House of Ahab did, you have done; by modelling yourselves on their standards, you force me to make an appalling example of you and reduce your citizens to a laughing-stock; hence you will endure the scorn of other people.'