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Ko te kupu a Ihowa i puta mai ki a Mika Morahati i nga ra o nga kingi o Hura, ara o Iotama, o Ahata, o Hetekia, ko tana i kite ai mo Hamaria raua ko Hiruharama.

Whakarongo e nga iwi, e koutou katoa; kia whai taringa mai, e te whenua, me nga mea katoa i roto i a koe: ko te Ariki, ko Ihowa hei whakaatu i to koutou he, ko te Ariki mai i tona temepara tapu.

No te mea, nana, kei te puta mai a Ihowa i tona wahi, ka heke iho ia, ka takahi ki runga ki nga wahi tiketike o te whenua.

A ka rewa nga maunga i raro i a ia, ka ngatata nga raorao, ka rite ki te waki i mua i te ahi, ki nga wai i ringihia ki te wahi paripari.

Mo te he o Hakopa tenei katoa, mo nga hara o te whare o Iharaira. He aha te he o Hakopa? he teka ianei ko Hamaria? He aha ano hoki nga wahi tiketike o Hura? he teka ianei ko Hiruharama?

Mo reira ka meinga e ahau a Hamaria kia rite ki te puranga o te mara, ki nga whakatokanga hoki o te mara waina; ka ringihia iho ano e ahau ona kohatu ki raro ki te raorao, a ka hurahia e ahau ona turanga.

A ka wawahia ana whakapakoko, mongamonga ana, ka tahuna hoki ona utu katoa ki te ahi, a ka takoto kau i ahau ana whakapakoko katoa: he mea amene hoki nana ki te utu a te wahine kairau, a ka hoki atu ano hei utu ki te wahine kairau.

Mo reira ka tangi ahau, ka aue, ka haere ahau, tihore rawa nga kakahu, tahanga kau: ka rite taku tangi ki ta nga kuri mohoao, taku uhunga ki ta nga otereti.

No te mea ko ona patunga e kore e mahu; kua tae rawa nei hoki ki a Hura; kua tae ki te kuwaha o taku iwi, ara ki Hiruharama.

10 Kaua e whakaaturia ki Kata, kaua rawa e tangi: kua okeoke ahau i roto i te puehu i Petere Apara.

11 Haere atu korua, e te wahine e noho ana i Hapiri, i te takoto tahanga, i te whakama: kahore ano te wahine e noho ana i Taanana i puta mai; ka tangohia atu i a koutou e te tangihanga o Peteetere tona turanga.

12 I tatari hoki te wahine e noho ana i Maroto ki te pai, me te manukanuka ano; no te mea kua heke iho te kino i a Ihowa ki te kuwaha o Hiruharama.

13 Whakamaua te hariata ki te hoiho tere, e te wahine e noho ana i Rakihi: ko ia te timatanga o te hara o te tamahine a Hiona; kua kitea na hoki nga he o Iharaira i roto i a koe.

14 Mo reira ka hoatu e koe he hakari poroporoaki ki Morehetekata: hei mea teka nga whare o Akatipi ki nga kingi o Iharaira.

15 Tenei ake ka kawea atu e ahau ki a koe, e te wahine e noho ana i Mareha, te tangata e whiwhi ki a koe: ka tae te kororia o Iharaira ki Aturama ra ano.

16 Moremorea tou mahunga, kutikutia hoki, mo au tamariki i ahuareka ai; whakanuia tou pakira kia rite ki to te ekara; kua mawehe atu hoki ratou i a koe, kua whakaraua.

Aue, te mate mo te hunga e whakaaro na ki te he, e mahi na i te kino i runga i o ratou moenga! takiri rawa ake te ata kua mahia e ratou, no te mea kei roto i te kaha o to ratou ringa.

E hiahia ana ratou ki nga mara, tangohia ake; ki nga whare hoki riro tonu i a ratou: e whakatupuria kinotia ana e ratou tetahi tangata me tona whare, te tangata rawa nei me tona wahi tupu.

Mo reira ko te kupu tenei a Ihowa: Nana, ka whakaaroa e ahau he kino mo tenei hapu, e kore ai e whakawateatia e koutou o koutou kaki i reira, e kore ano koutou e haere whakapehapeha; he kino hoki tenei wa.

I taua ra ka ara i a ratou tetahi whakatauki mo koutou, ka tangi hoki i tetahi rangi mamae nui, a ka mea, Kua pahuatia rawatia tatou; kua puta ke i a ia te wahi o taku iwi. Aue, tana wehenga atu i ahau! wehea ana e ia a tatou mara ma te hunga wha kakeke.

Mo reira kahore he tangata mau hei maka i te taura a te rota i roto i te whakaminenga a Ihowa.

Kaua koutou e poropiti: ko ta ratou poropiti tenei. E kore ratou e poropiti ki ena: e kore nga taunu e haere atu.

E kiia ianei, e te whare o Hakopa, Kua kuiti te wairua o Ihowa? ko ana mahi ianei enei? He teka ianei he mahi pai ta aku kupu ki te tangata e tika ana te haere?

Otiia no enei ra nei ano ka whakatika ake taku iwi ano he hoariri: e tihorea atu ana e koutou te koroka i te kakahu o te hunga e haere kore wehi noa atu ana ano he tangata e ngakaukore ana ki te whawhai.

Kua oti nga wahine o taku iwi te pei e koutou i roto i o ratou whare ahuareka; kua tangohia e koutou toku kororia i a ratou tamariki nonohi a ake ake.

10 Whakatika, haere; ehara hoki tenei i to koutou okiokinga; he mea hoki mo te poke e whakangaro ana, e whakangaro kino rawa ana.

11 Ki te korero teka tetahi tangata e haere ana i te hau, i te teka, ki te mea, Ka poropiti ahau ki a koe mo te waina, mo te wai kaha; ko ia rawa ano hei poropiti mo tenei iwi.

12 He pono ka kohikohi ahau i a koe katoa, e Hakopa; he pono ka whakawhaititia e ahau nga morehu o Iharaira; ka huihuia ratou e ahau, ka peratia me nga hipi o Potora: ka rite ki te kahui i waenganui o to ratou taiepa, ka nui to ratou nge i te tini hoki o te tangata.

13 Kua tae ake te kaiwahi i to ratou aroaro: kua pakaru mai ratou ki waho, kua tika i roto i te kuwaha, kua puta atu ma reira: kua haere atu to ratou kingi i mua i a ratou, a Ihowa i to ratou upoko.

A i mea ahau, Whakarongo mai, e nga upoko o Hakopa, e nga ariki o te whare o Iharaira: He teka ianei mo koutou te matauranga ki te whakawa?

E kino na ki te pai, e aroha na ki te kino; e tihore na i to ratou kiri i o ratou tinana, i to ratou kikokiko i o ratou wheua;

E kai na hoki i nga kikokiko o taku iwi; e tihore na i to ratou kiri i o ratou tinana, e wawahi na i o ratou wheua: ae ra, e tapatapahia rawatia ana e ratou, ano he mea mo te kohua, ano he kikokiko i roto i te kohua nui.

Ko reira ratou karanga ai ki a Ihowa, heoi e kore ia e whakahoki kupu ki a ratou: ae ra, ka huna e ia tona mata ki a ratou i taua wa, ka rite ki to ratou kino i mahia e ratou.

Ko te kupu tenei a Ihowa mo nga poropiti e whakapohehe nei i taku iwi, e ngau nei o ratou niho, me te karanga, He rongo mau! a ki te kahore e komotia e tetahi he mea ki o ratou mangai, ka tino anga ratou ki te whakataka whawhai ki a ia.

Mo reira ko te po mo koutou, e kore ai he kite ki a koutou; a ka pouri ki a koutou, e kore ai koutou e kite tikanga; a ka to te ra ki nga poropiti, a ka mangu te awatea ki runga ki a ratou.

A tera e whakama nga matakite, e numinumi hoki nga tohunga tuaahu; ae ra, tera ratou katoa e arai i o ratou ngutu; no te mea kahore he kupu whakahoki a te Atua.

Otiia he pono, kua ki ahau i te kaha, he mea na te wairua o Ihowa, i te whakawa hoki, i te mana, kia whakaaturia ai e ahau ki a Hakopa tona poka ke, ki a Iharaira tona hara.

Tena ra, whakarongo ki tenei, e nga upoko o te whare o Hakopa, e nga ariki hoki o te whare o Iharaira, e whakarihariha na ki te whakawa, e whakapeau ke na i te tika katoa.

10 E hanga ana ratou i Hiona ki te toto, i Hiruharama ki te he.

11 E whakawa ana ona upoko, he mea na te patipati, e whakaako ana ona tohunga, he mea na te utu; ko ona poropiti na te hiriwa i kite tikanga ai; otiia kei te whakawhirinaki ratou ki a Ihowa, kei te mea, He teka ianei kei roto a Ihowa i a tatou? e k ore tetahi he e pa ki a tatou.

12 Mo reira ka parautia a Hiona, ano he mara, he mea mo koutou, a ka waiho a Hiruharama hei puranga, ka rite hoki te maunga o te whare ki nga wahi tiketike o te ngahere.

Otiia tenei ake kei nga ra whakamutunga ka whakapumautia te maunga i to Ihowa whare ki te tihi o nga maunga, a ka hikitia ki runga ake i nga pukepuke, a ka rere nga iwi ki reira.

A he maha nga iwi e haere, e mea, Haere mai koutou, tatou ka haere ki runga ki te maunga o Ihowa, ki te whare o te Atua o Hakopa, a mana tatou e whakaako ki ana ara, ka haere hoki tatou i ana huarahi; no te mea ka puta mai te ture i Hiona, te kup u hoki a Ihowa i Hiruharama.

A ka whakarite whakawa ia i waenganui i nga iwi maha, ka riria hoki e ia te he o nga iwi kaha i tawhiti; a ka patupatua e ratou a ratou hoari hei hea parau, a ratou tao hei mea tapahi manga; e kore tetahi iwi e hapai hoari ki tetahi iwi, a heoi a no ta ratou ako ki te whawhai.

Engari ka noho ratou, ia tangata, ia tangata, i raro i tana waina, i raro i tana piki; a kahore he tangata hei whakawehi i a ratou: na te mangai hoki o Ihowa o nga mano te korero.

Ka haere hoki nga iwi katoa, ia tangata, ia tangata, i runga i te ingoa o tona atua, a ka haere tatou i runga i te ingoa o Ihowa, o to tatou Atua a ake ake.

A taua ra, e ai ta Ihowa, ka huihuia e ahau te wahine e totitoti ana, ka whakaminea te wahine i peia atu, me ia ano i whakatupuria kinotia e ahau;

A ka meinga e ahau te wahine e totitoti ana hei morehu, me te wahine i maka atu ki tawhiti hei iwi kaha: a ka kingi a Ihowa ki a ratou ki Maunga Hiona aianei a ake tonu atu.

Na ka tae mai ki a koe, e koe, e te pourewa o te kahui, e te taumaihi o te tamahine a Hiona; ae ra, ka tae mai ki a koe te kingitanga o mua ra, te kingitanga o te tamahine a Hiruharama.

Na, he aha koe i hamama ai? Kahore ianei he kingi i roto i a koe, kua ngaro ranei tou kaiwhakatakoto whakaaro, i mau pu ai koe i te mamae me te mea he wahine e whanau ana?

10 Whakamamae, e ngana kia puta ki waho, e te tamahine a Hiona, kia rite ki te wahine e whanau ana: no te mea ko aianei koe puta ai i roto i te pa, a ka noho ki te parae, a ka tae ki Papurona ra ano; hei reira koe ka whakaorangia; hei reira a Ihowa hoko ai i a koe i te ringa o ou hoariri.

11 Na, tona maha o nga iwi kua huihui ki te whawhai ki a koe, e mea ana, Tukua ia kia whakapokea, kia kite atu to tatou kanohi i tana koronga i runga i Hiona.

12 Otira kahore ratou e matau ki nga whakaaro o Ihowa, kahore hoki e mohio ki tana i whakatakoto ai: kua kohikohia hoki ratou e ia ano he paihere ki te patunga witi.

13 Whakatika ki te patu witi, e te tamahine a Hiona: ka meinga hoki e ahau tou haona hei rino, ka meinga hoki e ahau ou paua hei parahi: a he maha nga iwi e patupatua e koe a mongamonga noa: a mau e whakatapu ma Ihowa nga mea i apohia mai e ratou, o ratou rawa ma te Ariki o te whenua katoa.

Na inaianei ka whakahuihui a ropu koe i a koe, e te tamahine a nga ropu: kua oti tatou te whakapae e ia: ka patua e ratou ki te rakau te paparinga o te kaiwhakawa o Iharaira.

Na ko koe, e Peterehema Eparata, he iti nei i roto i nga mano o Hura, e puta mai i roto i a koe tetahi maku hei kawana mo Iharaira: ko ona putanga nonamata, no nga ra o tua iho.

Mo reira ratou ka tukua atu ai e ia, kia tae ra ano ki te wa e whanau ai tenei e whakamamae nei: hei reira nga toenga o ona tuakana hoki ai ki nga tama a Iharaira.

A ka tu ia, ka whangai i tana kahui i runga i te kaha o Ihowa, i runga hoki i te nui o te ingoa o Ihowa, o tona Atua; a ka noho ratou; no te mea akuareiia ka nui, ki nga pito ra ano o te whenua.

A ko tenei tangata hei maunga rongo mo tatou: ina tae mai te Ahiriana ki to tatou whenua, a ka takahi ki o tatou whare kingi, hei reira ara ai i a tatou hei whawhai ki a ia etahi hepara tokowhitu me etahi tangata rangatira tokowaru.

A ka whakamotitia e ratou te whenua o Ahiria ki te hoari, te whenua hoki o Nimiroro i ona tomokanga: na ka whakaorangia tatou e ia i te Ahiriana, ina haere mai ia ki to tatou whenua, ina takahi ia i roto i o tatou rohe.

A ka rite nga toenga o Hakopa i roto i nga iwi maha ki te tomairangi a Ihowa, ki nga kouaua i runga i te tarutaru; e kore nei e whanga ki te tangata, e kore ano e tatari ki nga tama a te tangata.

Na ka waiho te toenga o Hakopa i roto i nga tauiwi, i roto i nga iwi maha; ka rite ki te raiona i roto i nga kararehe o te ngahere, ki te kuao raiona i roto i nga kauhui hipi: na ki te tika atu ia i waenga, ka takatakahia e ia, ka haehaea, kahore hoki he kaiwhakaora.

Whakaarahia tou ringa ki runga ake i ou hoariri, hatepea atu hoki ou hoariri katoa.

10 Na i taua ra, e ai ta Ihowa, ka hatepea atu e ahau au hoiho i roto i a koe, ka kore ano i ahau au hariata;

11 A ka whakakorea atu e ahau nga pa o tou whenua, ka wawahia ano e ahau ou pa kaha katoa;

12 Ka hatepea atu hoki e ahau nga makutu i roto i tou ringa, a ka kore nga tohunga maori i roto i a koe:

13 Ka hatepea atu hoki e ahau au whakapakoko, me au pou whakaahua i roto i a koe: a e kore koe e koropiko i muri nei ki te mahi a ou ringa.

14 Ka hutia ano e ahau Aherimi i roto i a koe: a ka huna e ahau ou pa.

15 Ka rapua hoki e ahau he utu i nga tauiwi i runga i te riri, i te weriweri, kihai nei ratou i whakarongo.

Whakarongo koutou inaianei ki te kupu i korerotia e Ihowa: Whakatika, totohe ki nga maunga, kia rangona hoki tou reo e nga pukepuke.

Whakarongo, e nga maunga nei, ki ta Ihowa totohe, e koutou hoki, e nga turanga kaha o te whenua: he totohe hoki ta Ihowa ki tana iwi, a ka riria e ia te he o Iharaira.

E taku iwi, i aha ahau ki a koe? he ahatanga naku i hoha ai koe? whakaaturia mai toku he.

Naku na hoki koe i kawe mai i te whenua o Ihipa, naku ano koe i hoko i roto i te whare pononga; a i unga atu e ahau a Mohi, a Arona, a Miriama ki mua i a koe.

Kia mahara, e taku iwi, ki te whakaaro i whakatakotoria e Paraka kingi o Moapa, ki te kupu hoki i whakahokia ki a ia e Paraama tama a Peoro; maharatia i Hitimi tae noa ki Kirikara, kia mohio ai koutou ki nga mahi tika a Ihowa.

He aha taku e haere ai ahau ki te aroaro o Ihowa, e piko ai ki te Atua i runga? he patunga tapu ranei te mea e haere ai ahau ki tona aroaro, he kuao tautahi ranei?

E manako ranei a Ihowa ki nga mano o nga hipi toa, ki nga mano kotahi tekau ranei o nga awa hinu? me hoatu ranei e ahau taku matamua hei utu mo taku poka ke, te hua o toku kopu mo te hara o toku wairua?

Kua whakaaturia e ia ki a koe, e te tangata, te mea pai; a he aha ta Ihowa e rapu nei ki a koe, heoi ano ko te whakawa tika, ko te pai ki te tohu tangata, ko te whakaiti me te haere tahi i tou Atua?

E karanga ana te reo o Ihowa ki te pa, a ka kite te tangata whakaaro nui i tou ingoa; whakarongo ki te whiu, ki a ia hoki nana i whakarite.

10 Tera ano ranei nga taonga o te kino kei roto i te whare o te tangata kino, me te mehua iti, whakarihariha ano?

11 Ka ma ranei ahau ki te kino nga pauna, ki te tinihanga nga weti i roto i te putea?

12 Ki tonu na hoki i te tutu ona tangata taonga, a kua korero teka ona tangata, kei te tinihanga hoki o ratou arero i roto i o ratou mangai.

13 Mo reira kua whiua hoki koe e ahau ki te mate taimaha: kua meinga koe e ahau kia mokemoke, hei utu mo ou hara.

14 Ka kai koe, a kahore e makona; ka waiho ano tou whakaitinga i waenganui i a koe; ka tangohia atu ano e koe, heoi e kore e haere ora i a koe; ko te mea hoki e mauria atu e koe ka hoatu e ahau ki te hoari.

15 Ka whakato koe, a e kore e kokoti; ka takahi koe i te oriwa, a e kore e whakawahi i a koe ki te hinu; i te waina hou, a e kore e inu i te waina.

16 No te mea e mau ana nga tikanga a Omori, me nga mahi katoa a te whare o Ahapa, a e haere ana koutou i runga i o ratou whakaaro; kia meinga ai koe e ahau kia ururua, a ko nga tangata o kona hei whakahianga atu; a ka mau ki a koutou te ingoa kino o taku iwi.

Aue, te mate i ahau! he rite hoki ahau ki nga kohikohinga o nga hua raumati, ki nga hamunga i te wa e whawhaki karepe ana: kahore he tautau hei kai; e hiahia ana toku wairua ki te hua piki matamua.

Kua ngaro te tangata tapu i runga i te whenua, kahore hoki he tangata tika i roto i nga tangata: kei te whanga katoa ratou ki te toto; kei te whai ratou i tona hoa, i tona hoa ki te kupenga.

Kei runga o ratou ringa i te mea kino kia mahia marietia e ratou; ka tono te rangatira, kei te tatari hoki te kaiwhakawa kia utua; a ko te tangata nui, e puaki ana i a ia te nanakia o tona wairua: na, whiria tahitia ake e ratou.

Ko te tangata pai o ratou, rite tonu ki te tumatakuru: ko te mea tino tika, kino atu i te taiepa tataramoa: kua tae mai te ra o au tutei, ara te ra e whiua ai koe; ko aianei ratou pokaikaha ai.

Kaua e whakapono ki te hoa, kaua e whakawhirinaki ki te kaiarahi: kaiponuhia nga tatau o tou mangai ki te wahine e takoto na i tou uma.

E whakaiti ana hoki te tama ki te papa, e whakatika atu ana te kotiro ki tona whaea, te hunaonga ki tona hungawai wahine; ko nga hoariri o te tangata ko nga tangata o tona whare.

Tena ko ahau, ka titiro ahau ki a Ihowa; ka tatari ahau ki te Atua o toku whakaoranga: tera toku Atua e rongo ki ahau.

Kei whakamanamana ki ahau e toku hoariri; ki te hinga ahau, ka ara ano ahau; ki te noho ahau i te pouri, ko Ihowa hei whakamarama moku.

Maku e waha te riri o Ihowa, kua hara nei hoki ahau ki a ia; kia tohe ra ano ia i taku tohe, kia whakarite ra ano i taku whakawa, ka whakaputaina ahau e ia ki waho ki te marama, a ka kite ahau i tona tika.

10 Katahi toku hoariri ka kite, a ka taupokina e te whakama; i ki mai ra hoki ia ki ahau, Kei hea a Ihowa, tou Atua? Ka kite oku kanohi i taua wahine; akuanei ia takahia ai, peratia ai me te paru o nga ara.

11 He ra hei hanganga mo ou taiepa! a taua ra ka matara rawa atu te tikanga i whakatakotoria.

12 A taua ra ka haere mai ratou ki a koe, mai i Ahiria me nga pa o Ihipa, mai i Ihipa ki te awa, mai i tetahi moana ki tetahi, i tetahi maunga ki tetahi maunga.

13 Otiia ka ururuatia te whenua, he mea mo te hunga e noho ana i reira, mo nga hua hoki o a ratou mahi.

14 Whangaia tau iwi ki tau rakau, nga hipi o tou kainga tupu, e noho mokemoke nei i te ngahere i waenganui o Karamere: kia kai ratou ki Pahana, ki Kireara, kia pera me nga ra o mua,

15 Ka rite ki nga ra i haere mai ai koe i te whenua o Ihipa, ka whakaaturia e ahau ki a ia nga mea whakamiharo.

16 Ka kite nga iwi, ka whakama ki to ratou marohirohi katoa: ka kopania to ratou mangai ki to ratou ringa, a ka turi o ratou taringa.

17 Ka mitimiti ratou i te puehu, ano he nakahi; ka oho wiri mai ratou i o ratou piringa kopiri, ano ko nga mea ngokingoki o te whenua: ka haere wehi mai ratou ki a Ihowa, ki to tatou Atua, a ka mataku ki a koe.

18 Ko wai he Atua hei rite mou, e muru nei i te he, e whakarere noa nei i te poka ke o nga morehu o tona wahi tupu? E kore ia e kawe tonu i tona riri a ake ake, no te mea e ngakau nui ana ia ki te tohu tangata.

19 Tera ia e tahuri ano, ka aroha ki a tatou; ka pehia e ia o tatou kino ki raro ki ona waewae; ka panga ano e koe o ratou hara ki nga rire o te moana.

20 Ka whakatutukitia e koe te mea tika ki a Hakopa, te aroha ki a Aperahama, ko tau i oati ai ki o matou matua i nga ra o mua.

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