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¶ Men mesaj Seyè a te bay Miche, moun lavil Morechèt, sou rèy Jotam, Akaz ak Ezekyas ki te wa nan peyi jida. Men vizyon ki gen rapò ak Samari ak Jerizalèm Seyè a te fè Miche wè.

Koute byen, nou menm tout nasyon yo. Pare zòrèy nou, nou tout k'ap viv sou latè. Seyè a, Bondye a, pral akize nou. Tande! Li rete nan tanp ki apa pou li a, l'ap pale.

Seyè a ap soti kote li rete a, l'ap desann, l'ap mache sou tèt mòn yo.

Mòn yo ap fonn anba pye l' tankou lasi nan dife. Y'ap koule desann nan fon yo tankou lavalas k'ap desann mòn.

Tou sa ap rive paske pèp Izrayèl la fè bagay ki mal, paske pitit Jakòb yo fè sa yo pa t' dwe fè. Ki moun ki reskonsab sa pèp Izrayèl la fè a? Se pa moun Samari, kapital peyi a? Ki moun k'ap fè idolatri nan peyi Jida a? Se pa moun lavil Jerizalèm?

Se konsa Seyè a di: M'ap fè lavil Samari tounen yon bann mazi nan plenn lan, yon jaden pou plante rezen. M'ap voye tout miray li yo jete nan fon. Se fondasyon kay yo ase k'ap rete pou moun wè.

Y'ap kraze tout zidòl yo an miyèt moso. Y'ap boule tou sa yo te ofri bay zidòl yo nan dife. M'ap fè kay zidòl yo tounen pil wòch. Pèp la te vire do bay Bondye lè yo t'ap fè zidòl sa yo, ou ta di madan marye k'ap fè jennès. Koulye a, y'ap peye pou vire yo te vire do bay Bondye a.

¶ Lèfini, Miche di: Se poutèt sa m'ap plenn, m'ap kriye. M'ap pwonmennen mache pye atè, toutouni, pou m' fè wè lapenn mwen. M'ap rele tankou frize, m'ap wouke tankou chen.

Pa gen renmèd pou maladi moun lavil Samari yo. Li kontaminen peyi Jida a. Li gen tan rive jouk nan pòtay kapital peyi pèp mwen an. Li gen tan rive lavil Jerizalèm.

10 Pa kite moun lavil Gat yo konnen sa ki rive nou! Pa kite moun Akò yo wè nou ap kriye! Woule kò nou atè nan pousyè, nou menm moun Betleafra.

11 Pase pase nou, toutouni, tèt bese, nou menm moun lavil Safi. Moun ki rete nan ti bouk Zaanan an pa ka mete tèt yo deyò. Lè w'a tande jan moun Betaezèl yo ap plenn, w'a konnen ou p'ap jwenn pwoteksyon bò la ankò.

12 Moun Mawòt yo nan lapenn. Pa gen sekou pou yo ankò, paske Seyè a fè malè a rive nan papòt lavil Jerizalèm.

13 Nou menm, moun lavil Lakis, nou mèt pare bon chwal pou cha nou yo. Se nou menm an premye nan peyi Izrayèl ki te konmanse ap fè sa ki mal. Se nou menm ki lakòz moun lavil Jerizalèm yo ap fè peche konsa.

14 Koulye a, nou menm moun peyi Jida, nou mèt di moun lavil Morechèt Gat yo orevwa, paske moun lavil Akzib yo bay manti, yo p'ap pote ankenn sekou bay wa Izrayèl yo.

15 Kanta pou nou menm, moun lavil Marecha, mwen menm Seyè a, m'ap fè lènmi pran lavil la nan men nou. Grannèg nan peyi Izrayèl yo pral kache nan twou wòch Adoulam lan.

16 Nou menm moun Jida, reziyen nou, paske sa fè kè nou fè nou mal pou nou wè sa timoun nou renmen anpil yo ap fè. Mare ren nou tankou moun ki nan lapenn, paske y'ap depòte timoun nou yo ale byen lwen nou.

¶ Ala mal sa pral mal pou moun ki kouche nan kabann yo ap fè move plan, k'ap kalkile mechanste yo pral fè! Kou jou kase, premye okazyon yo jwenn, yo fè sa yo t'ap kalkile a, paske yo gen pouvwa nan men yo.

Yo anvi yon jaden, yo pran l'. Yo anvi yon kay, yo antre kareman, yo pran l'. Yo maltrete mèt kay la ak tout fanmi l'. Yo bat moun yo, yo pran tout byen yo.

Se poutèt sa, men sa Seyè a di: M'ap pare yon malè pou nou. Nou yonn p'ap chape. Nou p'ap ka gonfle lestonmak nou sou moun ankò, paske sa pral rèd pou nou.

Lè jou a va rive, yo pral fè chante sou nou. Y'a plenn sò nou, y'a di: Nou pèdi tou sa nou te genyen. Bondye kite moun lòt nasyon yo pran peyi a nan men nou. Wi, li pran jaden nou yo bay yon bann moun ki pa kwè nan li.

Konsa, lè lè a va rive, tout moun va sanble pou yo renmèt tè a bay pèp Bondye a. Ou p'ap jwenn pèsonn kanpe pou reklame yon pòsyon pou ou.

¶ Moun yo ap plede di m': Sispann pale konsa! Ou pa fèt pou di bagay konsa. Sa w'ap di a p'ap janm rive.

Nou menm, pitit Jakòb yo, Seyè a gen lè pèdi pasyans ak nou? Eske nou kwè l'a fè tout bagay sa yo vre? Eske pawòl li se pa bon pawòl pou moun k'ap mache dwat yo?

Seyè a reponn: Nou leve dèyè pèp mwen an tankou si nou te lènmi yo. Moun ap mache kè pòpòz san okenn lide chache moun kont, men nou la, n'ap tann konsa pou nou vòlò ata rad ki sou yo.

Medam yo t'ap viv ak kè kontan lakay yo. Nou vini, nou mete yo deyò. Timoun yo t'ap jwi benediksyon mwen ba yo. Nou vini, nou wete tou sa nèt nan men yo.

10 Leve non! Al fè wout nou! Pa gen repo pou nou isit la ankò! Nou fè twòp bagay derespektan. Nou fè yo detwi peyi a. Y'ap fini avè l' nèt.

11 Si yon moun ap plede pwonmennen bay manti pou twonpe moun, si li di: M'ap fè prediksyon pou nou: Men li, diven ak gwòg pral koule kou dlo, se moun konsa nou renmen pou pwofèt.

12 ¶ Men, m'ap reyini tout pitit Jakòb yo ansanm. M'ap ranmase tout ti rès ki rete nan moun Izrayèl yo. M'ap mennen yo ansanm tankou bann mouton k'ap tounen nan pak yo. Peyi a pral tankou yon savann plen mouton. Li pral plen moun ankò.

13 Bondye ap pran devan, l'ap louvri yon chemen pou yo. Yo menm, y'a kraze pòtay yo, y'a pase lib soti deyò. Wa yo a va mache devan yo. Wi, se Seyè a ki va mache alatèt yo.

¶ M'a di yo: Koute byen, nou menm ki alatèt pitit Jakòb yo, nou tout k'ap dirije pèp Izrayèl la! Se pa devwa nou pou nou rann tout moun jistis?

Men, se nou menm ankò ki rayi moun k'ap fè sa ki byen. Nou renmen moun k'ap fè sa ki mal. N'ap kòche pèp mwen an tou vivan, n'ap filange l' jouk nan zo.

N'ap manje pèp mwen an. Nou kòche yo, nou kase tout zo nan kò yo. Nou dekoupe yo tankou vyann yo pral kwit, tankou vyann nou mete nan chodyè.

Men, yon jou va rive, lè sa a n'a kriye nan pye Seyè a, men li p'ap reponn nou. Li p'ap tande sa n'ap di nan lapriyè nou yo, paske nou fè bagay ki mal.

Men, gen yon bann pwofèt k'ap twonpe pèp mwen an. Depi yo gen yon zo y'ap souse, y'ap mache di jan gen lapè nan peyi a. Men, kite moun pa ba yo lajan, yo di pral gen lagè. Men sa Seyè a di sou pwofèt sa yo:

Pwofèt! Jou nou yo prèt pou fini. Solèy la ap kouche sou nou. Nou p'ap fè vizyon lannwit ankò. Nan fènwa, nou p'ap wè anyen ankò.

Moun k'ap fè prediksyon yo pral wont. Divinò yo p'ap konnen sa pou yo di. Yo pral rete men nan bouch, paske Bondye p'ap reponn yo.

¶ Men, pou mwen menm, Miche, Seyè a voye lespri l' sou mwen, li ban mwen fòs, li ban mwen pouvwa pou m' konnen sa ki dwat. Li ban mwen kouraj pou m' kanpe denonse fòfè pitit Jakòb yo, pou m' di pèp Izrayèl la nan figi l' sa l'ap fè ki mal la.

Wi, koute m' non, nou menm ki alatèt pitit Jakòb yo, nou menm chèf k'ap dirije peyi Izrayèl la. Nou pa renmen sa ki dwat. Nou vire lalwa a, nou fè l' di sa nou vle.

10 Se sou san moun n'ap bati lavil Siyon an. Se sou lenjistis n'ap bati lavil Jerizalèm.

11 Moun ap achte chèf yo ak lajan. Prèt yo menm ap esplike lalwa a pou lajan. Ata pwofèt yo ap fè prediksyon pou lajan tou. Yo tout yo pretann di Seyè a avèk yo. Y'ap di: O wi, anyen p'ap rive nou! Seyè a bò kote nou!

12 Se konsa, n'ap lakòz peyi Siyon an pral tankou yon jaden y'ap raboure. Jerizalèm ap tounen mazi. Gwo pyebwa pral kouvri tout mòn kote tanp lan ye a.

¶ Yon tan gen pou rive! Lè sa a, mòn kote tanp lan ye a va pi wo pase tout lòt mòn yo. L'ap kanpe byen wo nan mitan mòn yo. Moun va soti an kantite toupatou vin sou li.

Anpil moun lòt nasyon va vini, y'a di: Ann ale sou mòn Seyè a! Ann ale nan tanp Bondye pèp Izrayèl la! L'a moutre nou jan li vle nou viv la. Konsa, n'a mache nan chemen l'a mete devan nou an. Paske, Seyè a rete sou mòn Siyon an, l'ap bay lòd li. Seyè a rete lavil Jerizalèm, l'ap pale ak pèp li a.

L'ap regle kont nasyon yo gen yonn ak lòt, l'ap sèvi jij pou gwo peyi ki byen lwen. Y'ap pran mato, y'ap fè zam yo tounen zouti pou travay tè. Y'ap fè nepe yo tounen sèpèt. Nasyon yo p'ap fè lagè yonn ak lòt ankò. Yo p'ap janm aprann fè lagè ankò.

Tout moun va viv ak kè poze anba tonèl rezen yo, anba pye fig frans yo. Pesonn p'ap chache yo kont. Sa se pawòl ki soti nan bouch Seyè a!

Chak nasyon ap viv dapre lòd bondye pa yo ba yo. Men nou menm, n'ap viv dapre lòd Seyè a, Bondye nou an, pou tout tan tout tan.

Seyè a di: Yon tan ap vini. Lè sa a, m'a aji avèk pèp mwen an tankou yon gadò. M' aval chache moun ki t'ap bwete yo. M'a ranmase moun yo te chase byen lwen yo, moun mwen te pini yo.

Avèk sa ki t'ap bwete yo, m'a mete peyi a kanpe ankò. M'a fè moun yo te depòte yo tounen yon gwo nasyon. Mwen menm, Seyè a, m'a gouvènen yo sou tèt mòn Siyon an, depi jou sa a jouk sa kaba.

¶ Ou menm, lavil Jerizalèm kote Bondye rete pou l' veye bann mouton l' yo, ou menm, ti mòn Ofèl kote moun Siyon yo rete a, ou gen pou tounen kapital peyi a ankò kote wa moun Jerizalèm yo ye a, jan sa te ye nan tan lontan an.

Koulye a, poukisa w'ap rele fò konsa? Se paske ou pèdi wa ou la? Poukisa w'ap plenn konsa tankou yon fanm ki gen tranche? Se paske moun ki te konn ba ou konsèy la mouri?

10 Tòde kò nou, nou menm moun lavil Jerizalèm! Plenn tankou fanm ki sou choukèt! Paske, koulye a nou pral soti kite lavil la, nou pral rete nan bwa. N'a rive jouk lavil Babilòn. Men, antan nou la, y'a vin delivre nou. Seyè a ap vin wete nou nan men lènmi nou yo.

11 Anpil nasyon ap reyini pou atake nou. Y'ap di konsa: Se pou yo avili lavil Jerizalèm. Se pou nou wè lavil Siyon an kraze nèt.

12 Men, moun sa yo pa konnen lide Bondye gen nan tèt li. Yo pa konprann plan travay li. Li te sanble yo pou l' ka pini yo tankou lè yo sanble pwa sou glasi anvan yo bat yo.

13 Seyè a di: Nou menm moun lavil Siyon, leve non! Foule lènmi nou yo anba pye nou! M'ap ban nou fòs, n'ap tankou towo bèf ki gen kòn ak zago fè. N'ap kraze anpil nasyon an miyèt moso. N'a pran tou sa yo genyen ansanm ak tout richès yo, n'a ofri yo ban mwen, mwen menm Seyè a, ki mèt tout latè.

¶ Nou menm, moun lavil Jerizalèm, sanble moun nou yo! Mete yon lame sou pye! Men yo sènen lavil la toupatou. Y'ap leve men yo sou chèf pèp Izrayèl la. Y'ap ba li baton, y'ap souflete l'.

Seyè a di ankò: Men ou menm, lavil Betleyèm, Efrata, ou se yonn nan pi piti nan tout lavil peyi Jida yo, se vre! Men, se nan mitan ou m'ap fè soti pou mwen yon chèf pou pèp Izrayèl la, yon chèf k'ap soti nan yon fanmi ki la depi lontan lontan.

Se konsa, Seyè a ap lage pèp li a nan men lènmi li yo jouk lè fi ki pou fè pitit la va gen yon pitit gason. Lè sa a, rès pèp Izrayèl yo te depòte a va tounen pou mete tèt ansanm ak pèp la.

Lè chèf sa a va vini, l'a gouvènen pèp li a avèk fòs Seyè a ap ba li a, avèk pouvwa k'ap mande respè paske l'ap gouvènen nan non Seyè a, Bondye li a. Pèp la va viv ak kè poze, paske moun toupatou sou latè va rekonèt jan li gen pouvwa.

L'a fè tout moun viv byen yonn ak lòt. Lè moun peyi Lasiri yo va anvayi peyi nou an, lè y'a pwonmennen mache nan tout peyi a, n'a voye sèt chèf, n'a voye wit menm al konbat yo.

Y'a goumen, y'a pran peyi moun Lasiri yo nan men yo. Avèk nepe yo, y'a pran peyi Nenmwòd la nan men li. Y'a delivre nou anba men moun Lasiri yo, lè y'a anvayi peyi a, lè y'a antre sou fwontyè nou yo.

¶ Lè sa a, rès moun ki vivan toujou nan pèp la va tankou lawouze Bondye voye. Y'a viv nan mitan lòt nasyon yo. Y'a tankou lapli k'ap tonbe sou jaden k'ap pouse, paske yo pa mete espwa yo nan moun men nan Bondye.

Rès moun pèp Izrayèl yo va viv nan mitan lòt nasyon yo, nan mitan anpil lòt nasyon. Y'a tankou yon lyon nan mitan bèt nan bwa, osinon yon jenn ti lyon nan mitan bann mouton. Y'ap pase nan mitan lòt nasyon yo. Y'ap kraze yo anba pye yo, y'ap dechikete yo. Pesonn p'ap ka delivre moun anba men yo.

Izrayèl va leve kont lènmi li yo, l'a disparèt yo nèt.

10 Seyè a di ankò: Jou sa a, m'ap touye tout chwal batay nou yo. M'a detwi tout cha nou yo.

11 M'ap detwi tout lavil nou bati nan peyi a, m'ap kraze tout fò ak tout ranpa nou yo.

12 M'a wete tout wanga nan peyi a. Nou p'ap jwenn moun ki pou bat kat pou nou ankò.

13 M'ap detwi tout estati ak tout moniman nou te moute pou zidòl yo. Nou p'ap gen lide adore bagay nou fè ak men nou ankò.

14 M'ap derasinen tout pyebwa repozwa nan peyi a. M'ap detwi tout lavil nou yo.

15 Lè sa a, m'ap fache, m'ap fè gwo kòlè, m'ap pran revanj mwen sou tout nasyon ki pa t' obeyi m' yo.

¶ Koute sa Seyè a ap di: -Leve non! Vin plede kòz ou devan gwo mòn yo! Kite ti mòn yo tande sa ou gen pou di a!

Nou menm, mòn yo, nou menm ki fondasyon tè a pou tout tan, tande plent Seyè a ap vin pote pou pèp li a! Wi, li pral pote plent pou pèp Izrayèl la! Li gen yon kòz pou l' plede ak li!

Seyè a di: Ooo! Pèp mwen! Kisa mwen fè nou kifè nou bouke avè m' konsa? Reponn mwen non!

Mwen fè nou soti kite peyi Lejip la. Mwen wete nou nan esklavaj nou te ye nan peyi sa a! Mwen voye Moyiz, Arawon ak Miryam pou kondi nou ale.

Ooo! Pèp mwen! Chonje sa Balak, wa peyi Moab la, te fè lide fè nou, ak ki jan Balaram, pitit Bèyò a, te reponn li! Chonje sa ki te rive nou nan vwayaj nou an, lè nou te fin kite Sitim, anvan nou te rive Gilgal! Chonje tout bagay sa yo pou nou ka konprann sa m' te fè pou delivre nou!

¶ Lè sa a, pèp la di: Kisa m'a pote ofri bay Seyè a, Bondye ki nan syèl la, lè m'a vin adore l'? Eske m'a pote pou li jenn ti towo bèf ki fèk gen ennan pou yo ka boule pou li?

Eske Seyè a ap kontan si m' pote ba li mil belye mouton ak di mil barik lwil? Eske m'a ofri premye pitit gason m' lan pou m' peye pou sa m' fè ki mal? Eske mwen ka pran sa ki soti nan zantray mwen pou m' bay pou kouvri peche mwen?

Y'a reponn li: Non monchè. Seyè a te moutre ou sa ki byen. Tou sa li mande ou, se pou ou fè sa ki dwat, se pou ou gen kè sansib nan tout sa w'ap fè, se pou ou mache san lògèy devan li.

¶ Lè yon moun gen konprann, li gen krentif pou Seyè a. Seyè a ap rele moun lavil Jerizalèm yo: Koute m' byen, nou tout ki reyini nan lavil la!

10 Lakay moun mechan yo plen byen yo achte ak move lajan! Y'ap sèvi ak fo mamit, bagay mwen pa vle wè.

11 Ki jan ou vle pou m' padonnen bann moun sa yo k'ap sèvi ak move balans, ak fo mamit?

12 Moun rich nan lavil la ap peze pòv malere yo. Yo tout se yon bann mantò: Bonjou yo pa laverite!

13 Se poutèt sa m'ap manyen ak nou. Akòz peche nou yo, m'ap fini ak nou nèt.

14 N'ap manje, men vant nou p'ap janm plen, n'ap grangou toujou. Lè nou konprann se sere n'ap sere pou pita, sa p'ap sèvi nou anyen. Avèk lagè m'ap voye sou nou an, n'ap pèdi tou sa nou te sere a.

15 N'a plante, men se pa nou ki va rekòlte. N'a kraze grenn oliv pou fè lwil, men nou p'ap gen tan sèvi avè l'. N'a kraze rezen fè diven, men nou p'ap gen tan goute ladan l'.

16 Nou pran swiv move mès wa Omri a ansanm ak move bagay wa Akab, pitit gason l' lan, t'ap fè a. N'ap fè menm bagay yo t'ap fè a toujou. Se poutèt sa, m'ap fè malè tonbe sou nou. Tout moun pral rele chalbari dèyè nou. Moun toupatou pral trete nou tankou fatra.

¶ Ala malè pou mwen, mezanmi! Mwen tankou yon moun ki grangou nan mitan sezon rekòt epi ki pa jwenn yon ti fwi sou pyebwa, ni yon ti grenn rezen pou m' mete nan bouch mwen. Tout rezen fin keyi. Tout bon fig frans fin tonbe.

Pa rete moun serye nan peyi a ankò. Pa gen moun k'ap sèvi Bondye ak tout kè yo. Tout moun ap tann chans pa yo pou mete men yo nan san. Moun ap mache mete pèlen yonn pou lòt.

Yo tout pase mèt nan fè sa ki mal ak de men yo. Chèf yo ap fè egzijans. Jij yo ap mande lajan anba pou regle zafè pou moun. Grannèg yo menm mande sa yo vle. Se konsa yo tout yo fè yon sèl bann ansanm.

Moun ki ta pi bon nan mitan yo a, se ponya wouye. Sa ki ta yon ti jan pi serye a, li boule pase lèt kandelab, li koupe pase zèb razwa. Jou pou Bondye pini pèp li a pral rive, jan l' te voye yo avèti l' la. Lè sa a, pèp la p'ap konnen ni sa pou l' di ni sa pou l' fè.

Pa mete konfyans ou nan zanmi! Pa apiye sou ankenn bon zanmi! Veye bouch ou ata ak madanm ou!

Lè sa a, pitit gason p'ap gen respè pou papa yo. Pitit fi ap kenbe tèt ak manman yo. Bèlfi ap fè kont ak bèlmè yo. Pi gwo lènmi ou se va pwòp moun k'ap viv nan kò kay ou.

¶ Men, se Seyè a ki tout mwen. Avèk konfyans, m'ap tann Bondye k'ap vin pou delivre m' lan. Wi, Bondye mwen an ap tande m'!

Nou menm ki pa vle wè lavil Jerizalèm, nou pa bezwen kontan wè malè rive nou, nou menm moun lavil Jerizalèm. Nou tonbe, n'a leve ankò! Nou te mèt chita nan fènwa koulye a, Seyè a va yon limyè pou nou.

Se pou nou sipòte kòlè Seyè a paske nou fè peche kont Seyè a. Men bout pou bout, l'a pran defans nou, l'a rann nou jistis. L'ap mennen nou deyò nan limyè a ankò, n'a viv pou nou wè jistis Bondye.

10 Lè sa a, lènmi nou yo va wè sa, y'a wont, yo menm ki te konn ap mande nou: O wi! Kote Seyè a, Bondye nou an! N'a wè ak je nou jan lènmi nou yo ap fini. Y'a foule yo anba pye, y'a meprize yo tankou labou nan lari.

11 Nou menm, moun lavil Jerizalèm, jou pou nou rebati miray lavil la prèt pou rive. Lè sa a, y'a agrandi peyi a.

12 Wi, lè sa a, moun nou yo va tounen soti toupatou vin jwenn nou. Y'a soti nan peyi Lasiri bò solèy leve, y'a soti Lejip nan sid, y'a soti lòt bò larivyè Lefrat, y'a soti byen lwen lòt bò lanmè ak lòt bò mòn yo.

13 Men, tè a ap tounen dezè akòz mechanste moun k'ap viv sou li yo.

14 ¶ Seyè! Aji ak pèp ou te chwazi pou ou a tankou yon bon gadò k'ap pran swen mouton l' yo. Koulye a, pèp ou a rete pou kont li nan yon rakbwa ki antoure ak bon tè. Kite y' al manje nan bèl jaden peyi Bazan ak peyi Galarad jan yo te konn fè l' nan tan lontan an!

15 Seyè! Fè mèvèy pou nou jan ou te fè l' lè ou te fè nou soti kite peyi Lejip la!

16 Moun lòt nasyon yo va wè sa, y'a wont malgre tout fòs yo genyen. Y'a mete men nan bouch. Y'a sezi,

17 y'a trennen kò yo atè nan pousyè tankou koulèv. Y'a mache tankou bèt k'ap trennen sou vant! Y'a pè, y'a kouri soti nan fò yo. Y'a tranble devan Bondye, y'a tounen vin jwenn li. Y'a tranble tankou fèy bwa akòz Seyè a.

18 Pa gen bondye tankou ou, ou menm ki padonnen mechanste ti rès ki rete nan pèp ou a, ou menm ki pa gade sou sa yo fè ki mal. Ou pa fache pou tout tan. Ou pran tout plezi ou nan gen pitye pou moun.

19 Wi, w'a gen pitye pou nou ankò. W'a pran peche nou yo mete anba pye ou. W'a voye yo jete nan fon lanmè!

20 W'a moutre pitit Jakòb yo jan ou toujou kenbe pawòl ou. W'a moutre pitit Abraram yo jan ou p'ap janm sispann renmen yo, jan ou te sèmante l' bay zansèt nou yo nan tan lontan!

The word of the Lord that came to Micah of Moresheth(A) during the reigns of Jotham,(B) Ahaz(C) and Hezekiah,(D) kings of Judah(E)—the vision(F) he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

Hear,(G) you peoples, all of you,(H)
    listen, earth(I) and all who live in it,
that the Sovereign Lord may bear witness(J) against you,
    the Lord from his holy temple.(K)

Judgment Against Samaria and Jerusalem

Look! The Lord is coming from his dwelling(L) place;
    he comes down(M) and treads on the heights of the earth.(N)
The mountains melt(O) beneath him(P)
    and the valleys split apart,(Q)
like wax before the fire,
    like water rushing down a slope.
All this is because of Jacob’s transgression,
    because of the sins of the people of Israel.
What is Jacob’s transgression?
    Is it not Samaria?(R)
What is Judah’s high place?
    Is it not Jerusalem?

“Therefore I will make Samaria a heap of rubble,
    a place for planting vineyards.(S)
I will pour her stones(T) into the valley
    and lay bare her foundations.(U)
All her idols(V) will be broken to pieces;(W)
    all her temple gifts will be burned with fire;
    I will destroy all her images.(X)
Since she gathered her gifts from the wages of prostitutes,(Y)
    as the wages of prostitutes they will again be used.”

Weeping and Mourning

Because of this I will weep(Z) and wail;
    I will go about barefoot(AA) and naked.
I will howl like a jackal
    and moan like an owl.
For Samaria’s plague(AB) is incurable;(AC)
    it has spread to Judah.(AD)
It has reached the very gate(AE) of my people,
    even to Jerusalem itself.
10 Tell it not in Gath[a];
    weep not at all.
In Beth Ophrah[b]
    roll in the dust.
11 Pass by naked(AF) and in shame,
    you who live in Shaphir.[c]
Those who live in Zaanan[d]
    will not come out.
Beth Ezel is in mourning;
    it no longer protects you.
12 Those who live in Maroth[e] writhe in pain,
    waiting for relief,(AG)
because disaster(AH) has come from the Lord,
    even to the gate of Jerusalem.
13 You who live in Lachish,(AI)
    harness fast horses to the chariot.
You are where the sin of Daughter Zion(AJ) began,
    for the transgressions of Israel were found in you.
14 Therefore you will give parting gifts(AK)
    to Moresheth(AL) Gath.
The town of Akzib[f](AM) will prove deceptive(AN)
    to the kings of Israel.
15 I will bring a conqueror against you
    who live in Mareshah.[g](AO)
The nobles of Israel
    will flee to Adullam.(AP)
16 Shave(AQ) your head in mourning
    for the children in whom you delight;
make yourself as bald as the vulture,
    for they will go from you into exile.(AR)

Human Plans and God’s Plans

Woe to those who plan iniquity,
    to those who plot evil(AS) on their beds!(AT)
At morning’s light they carry it out
    because it is in their power to do it.
They covet fields(AU) and seize them,(AV)
    and houses, and take them.
They defraud(AW) people of their homes,
    they rob them of their inheritance.(AX)

Therefore, the Lord says:

“I am planning disaster(AY) against this people,
    from which you cannot save yourselves.
You will no longer walk proudly,(AZ)
    for it will be a time of calamity.
In that day people will ridicule you;
    they will taunt you with this mournful song:
‘We are utterly ruined;(BA)
    my people’s possession is divided up.(BB)
He takes it from me!
    He assigns our fields to traitors.’”

Therefore you will have no one in the assembly of the Lord
    to divide the land(BC) by lot.(BD)

False Prophets

“Do not prophesy,” their prophets say.
    “Do not prophesy about these things;
    disgrace(BE) will not overtake us.(BF)
You descendants of Jacob, should it be said,
    “Does the Lord become[h] impatient?
    Does he do such things?”

“Do not my words do good(BG)
    to the one whose ways are upright?(BH)
Lately my people have risen up
    like an enemy.
You strip off the rich robe
    from those who pass by without a care,
    like men returning from battle.
You drive the women of my people
    from their pleasant homes.(BI)
You take away my blessing
    from their children forever.
10 Get up, go away!
    For this is not your resting place,(BJ)
because it is defiled,(BK)
    it is ruined, beyond all remedy.
11 If a liar and deceiver(BL) comes and says,
    ‘I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,’(BM)
    that would be just the prophet for this people!(BN)

Deliverance Promised

12 “I will surely gather all of you, Jacob;
    I will surely bring together the remnant(BO) of Israel.
I will bring them together like sheep in a pen,
    like a flock in its pasture;
    the place will throng with people.(BP)
13 The One who breaks open the way will go up before(BQ) them;
    they will break through the gate(BR) and go out.
Their King will pass through before them,
    the Lord at their head.”

Leaders and Prophets Rebuked

Then I said,

“Listen, you leaders(BS) of Jacob,
    you rulers of Israel.
Should you not embrace justice,
    you who hate good and love evil;
who tear the skin from my people
    and the flesh from their bones;(BT)
who eat my people’s flesh,(BU)
    strip off their skin
    and break their bones in pieces;(BV)
who chop(BW) them up like meat for the pan,
    like flesh for the pot?(BX)

Then they will cry out to the Lord,
    but he will not answer them.(BY)
At that time he will hide his face(BZ) from them
    because of the evil they have done.(CA)

This is what the Lord says:

“As for the prophets
    who lead my people astray,(CB)
they proclaim ‘peace’(CC)
    if they have something to eat,
but prepare to wage war against anyone
    who refuses to feed them.
Therefore night will come over you, without visions,
    and darkness, without divination.(CD)
The sun will set for the prophets,(CE)
    and the day will go dark for them.(CF)
The seers will be ashamed(CG)
    and the diviners disgraced.(CH)
They will all cover(CI) their faces(CJ)
    because there is no answer from God.(CK)
But as for me, I am filled with power,
    with the Spirit of the Lord,
    and with justice and might,
to declare to Jacob his transgression,
    to Israel his sin.(CL)

Hear this, you leaders of Jacob,
    you rulers of Israel,
who despise justice
    and distort all that is right;(CM)
10 who build(CN) Zion with bloodshed,(CO)
    and Jerusalem with wickedness.(CP)
11 Her leaders judge for a bribe,(CQ)
    her priests teach for a price,(CR)
    and her prophets tell fortunes for money.(CS)
Yet they look(CT) for the Lord’s support and say,
    “Is not the Lord among us?
    No disaster will come upon us.”(CU)
12 Therefore because of you,
    Zion will be plowed like a field,
Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble,(CV)
    the temple(CW) hill a mound overgrown with thickets.(CX)

The Mountain of the Lord(CY)

In the last days

the mountain(CZ) of the Lord’s temple will be established
    as the highest of the mountains;
it will be exalted above the hills,(DA)
    and peoples will stream to it.(DB)

Many nations will come and say,

“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,(DC)
    to the temple of the God of Jacob.(DD)
He will teach us(DE) his ways,(DF)
    so that we may walk in his paths.”
The law(DG) will go out from Zion,
    the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He will judge between many peoples
    and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide.(DH)
They will beat their swords into plowshares
    and their spears into pruning hooks.(DI)
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
    nor will they train for war(DJ) anymore.(DK)
Everyone will sit under their own vine
    and under their own fig tree,(DL)
and no one will make them afraid,(DM)
    for the Lord Almighty has spoken.(DN)
All the nations may walk
    in the name of their gods,(DO)
but we will walk in the name of the Lord
    our God for ever and ever.(DP)

The Lord’s Plan

“In that day,” declares the Lord,

“I will gather the lame;(DQ)
    I will assemble the exiles(DR)
    and those I have brought to grief.(DS)
I will make the lame my remnant,(DT)
    those driven away a strong nation.(DU)
The Lord will rule over them in Mount Zion(DV)
    from that day and forever.(DW)
As for you, watchtower of the flock,
    stronghold[i] of Daughter Zion,
the former dominion will be restored(DX) to you;
    kingship will come to Daughter Jerusalem.(DY)

Why do you now cry aloud—
    have you no king[j](DZ)?
Has your ruler[k] perished,
    that pain seizes you like that of a woman in labor?(EA)
10 Writhe in agony, Daughter Zion,
    like a woman in labor,
for now you must leave the city
    to camp in the open field.
You will go to Babylon;(EB)
    there you will be rescued.
There the Lord will redeem(EC) you
    out of the hand of your enemies.

11 But now many nations
    are gathered against you.
They say, “Let her be defiled,
    let our eyes gloat(ED) over Zion!”
12 But they do not know
    the thoughts of the Lord;
they do not understand his plan,(EE)
    that he has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor.
13 “Rise and thresh,(EF) Daughter Zion,
    for I will give you horns of iron;
I will give you hooves of bronze,
    and you will break to pieces many nations.”(EG)
You will devote their ill-gotten gains to the Lord,(EH)
    their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.

A Promised Ruler From Bethlehem

[l]Marshal your troops now, city of troops,
    for a siege is laid against us.
They will strike Israel’s ruler
    on the cheek(EI) with a rod.

“But you, Bethlehem(EJ) Ephrathah,(EK)
    though you are small among the clans[m] of Judah,
out of you will come for me
    one who will be ruler(EL) over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,(EM)
    from ancient times.”(EN)

Therefore Israel will be abandoned(EO)
    until the time when she who is in labor bears a son,
and the rest of his brothers return
    to join the Israelites.

He will stand and shepherd his flock(EP)
    in the strength of the Lord,
    in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they will live securely, for then his greatness(EQ)
    will reach to the ends of the earth.

And he will be our peace(ER)
    when the Assyrians invade(ES) our land
    and march through our fortresses.
We will raise against them seven shepherds,
    even eight commanders,(ET)
who will rule[n] the land of Assyria with the sword,
    the land of Nimrod(EU) with drawn sword.[o](EV)
He will deliver us from the Assyrians
    when they invade our land
    and march across our borders.(EW)

The remnant(EX) of Jacob will be
    in the midst of many peoples
like dew(EY) from the Lord,
    like showers on the grass,(EZ)
which do not wait for anyone
    or depend on man.
The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations,
    in the midst of many peoples,
like a lion among the beasts of the forest,(FA)
    like a young lion among flocks of sheep,
which mauls and mangles(FB) as it goes,
    and no one can rescue.(FC)
Your hand will be lifted up(FD) in triumph over your enemies,
    and all your foes will be destroyed.

10 “In that day,” declares the Lord,

“I will destroy your horses from among you
    and demolish your chariots.(FE)
11 I will destroy the cities(FF) of your land
    and tear down all your strongholds.(FG)
12 I will destroy your witchcraft
    and you will no longer cast spells.(FH)
13 I will destroy your idols(FI)
    and your sacred stones from among you;(FJ)
you will no longer bow down
    to the work of your hands.(FK)
14 I will uproot from among you your Asherah poles[p](FL)
    when I demolish your cities.
15 I will take vengeance(FM) in anger and wrath
    on the nations that have not obeyed me.”

The Lord’s Case Against Israel

Listen to what the Lord says:

“Stand up, plead my case before the mountains;(FN)
    let the hills hear what you have to say.

“Hear,(FO) you mountains, the Lord’s accusation;(FP)
    listen, you everlasting foundations of the earth.
For the Lord has a case(FQ) against his people;
    he is lodging a charge(FR) against Israel.

“My people, what have I done to you?
    How have I burdened(FS) you?(FT) Answer me.
I brought you up out of Egypt(FU)
    and redeemed you from the land of slavery.(FV)
I sent Moses(FW) to lead you,
    also Aaron(FX) and Miriam.(FY)
My people, remember
    what Balak(FZ) king of Moab plotted
    and what Balaam son of Beor answered.
Remember your journey from Shittim(GA) to Gilgal,(GB)
    that you may know the righteous acts(GC) of the Lord.”

With what shall I come before(GD) the Lord
    and bow down before the exalted God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
    with calves a year old?(GE)
Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,(GF)
    with ten thousand rivers of olive oil?(GG)
Shall I offer my firstborn(GH) for my transgression,
    the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?(GI)
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly(GJ) and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly[q](GK) with your God.(GL)

Israel’s Guilt and Punishment

Listen! The Lord is calling to the city—
    and to fear your name is wisdom—
    “Heed the rod(GM) and the One who appointed it.[r]
10 Am I still to forget your ill-gotten treasures, you wicked house,
    and the short ephah,[s] which is accursed?(GN)
11 Shall I acquit someone with dishonest scales,(GO)
    with a bag of false weights?(GP)
12 Your rich people are violent;(GQ)
    your inhabitants are liars(GR)
    and their tongues speak deceitfully.(GS)
13 Therefore, I have begun to destroy(GT) you,
    to ruin[t] you because of your sins.
14 You will eat but not be satisfied;(GU)
    your stomach will still be empty.[u]
You will store up but save nothing,(GV)
    because what you save[v] I will give to the sword.
15 You will plant but not harvest;(GW)
    you will press olives but not use the oil,
    you will crush grapes but not drink the wine.(GX)
16 You have observed the statutes of Omri(GY)
    and all the practices of Ahab’s(GZ) house;
    you have followed their traditions.(HA)
Therefore I will give you over to ruin(HB)
    and your people to derision;
    you will bear the scorn(HC) of the nations.[w]

Israel’s Misery

What misery is mine!
I am like one who gathers summer fruit
    at the gleaning of the vineyard;
there is no cluster of grapes to eat,
    none of the early figs(HD) that I crave.
The faithful have been swept from the land;(HE)
    not one(HF) upright person remains.
Everyone lies in wait(HG) to shed blood;(HH)
    they hunt each other(HI) with nets.(HJ)
Both hands are skilled in doing evil;(HK)
    the ruler demands gifts,
the judge accepts bribes,(HL)
    the powerful dictate what they desire—
    they all conspire together.
The best of them is like a brier,(HM)
    the most upright worse than a thorn(HN) hedge.
The day God visits you has come,
    the day your watchmen sound the alarm.
    Now is the time of your confusion.(HO)
Do not trust a neighbor;
    put no confidence in a friend.(HP)
Even with the woman who lies in your embrace
    guard the words of your lips.
For a son dishonors his father,
    a daughter rises up against her mother,(HQ)
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
    a man’s enemies are the members of his own household.(HR)

But as for me, I watch(HS) in hope(HT) for the Lord,
    I wait for God my Savior;
    my God will hear(HU) me.

Israel Will Rise

Do not gloat over me,(HV) my enemy!
    Though I have fallen, I will rise.(HW)
Though I sit in darkness,
    the Lord will be my light.(HX)
Because I have sinned against him,
    I will bear the Lord’s wrath,(HY)
until he pleads my case(HZ)
    and upholds my cause.
He will bring me out into the light;(IA)
    I will see his righteousness.(IB)
10 Then my enemy will see it
    and will be covered with shame,(IC)
she who said to me,
    “Where is the Lord your God?”(ID)
My eyes will see her downfall;(IE)
    even now she will be trampled(IF) underfoot
    like mire in the streets.

11 The day for building your walls(IG) will come,
    the day for extending your boundaries.
12 In that day people will come to you
    from Assyria(IH) and the cities of Egypt,
even from Egypt to the Euphrates
    and from sea to sea
    and from mountain to mountain.(II)
13 The earth will become desolate because of its inhabitants,
    as the result of their deeds.(IJ)

Prayer and Praise

14 Shepherd(IK) your people with your staff,(IL)
    the flock of your inheritance,
which lives by itself in a forest,
    in fertile pasturelands.[x](IM)
Let them feed in Bashan(IN) and Gilead(IO)
    as in days long ago.(IP)

15 “As in the days when you came out of Egypt,
    I will show them my wonders.(IQ)

16 Nations will see and be ashamed,(IR)
    deprived of all their power.
They will put their hands over their mouths(IS)
    and their ears will become deaf.
17 They will lick dust(IT) like a snake,
    like creatures that crawl on the ground.
They will come trembling(IU) out of their dens;
    they will turn in fear(IV) to the Lord our God
    and will be afraid of you.
18 Who is a God(IW) like you,
    who pardons sin(IX) and forgives(IY) the transgression
    of the remnant(IZ) of his inheritance?(JA)
You do not stay angry(JB) forever
    but delight to show mercy.(JC)
19 You will again have compassion on us;
    you will tread our sins underfoot
    and hurl all our iniquities(JD) into the depths of the sea.(JE)
20 You will be faithful to Jacob,
    and show love to Abraham,(JF)
as you pledged on oath to our ancestors(JG)
    in days long ago.(JH)

Footnotes

  1. Micah 1:10 Gath sounds like the Hebrew for tell.
  2. Micah 1:10 Beth Ophrah means house of dust.
  3. Micah 1:11 Shaphir means pleasant.
  4. Micah 1:11 Zaanan sounds like the Hebrew for come out.
  5. Micah 1:12 Maroth sounds like the Hebrew for bitter.
  6. Micah 1:14 Akzib means deception.
  7. Micah 1:15 Mareshah sounds like the Hebrew for conqueror.
  8. Micah 2:7 Or Is the Spirit of the Lord
  9. Micah 4:8 Or hill
  10. Micah 4:9 Or King
  11. Micah 4:9 Or Ruler
  12. Micah 5:1 In Hebrew texts 5:1 is numbered 4:14, and 5:2-15 is numbered 5:1-14.
  13. Micah 5:2 Or rulers
  14. Micah 5:6 Or crush
  15. Micah 5:6 Or Nimrod in its gates
  16. Micah 5:14 That is, wooden symbols of the goddess Asherah
  17. Micah 6:8 Or prudently
  18. Micah 6:9 The meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.
  19. Micah 6:10 An ephah was a dry measure.
  20. Micah 6:13 Or Therefore, I will make you ill and destroy you; / I will ruin
  21. Micah 6:14 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  22. Micah 6:14 Or You will press toward birth but not give birth, / and what you bring to birth
  23. Micah 6:16 Septuagint; Hebrew scorn due my people
  24. Micah 7:14 Or in the middle of Carmel