1Hear now what YHWH says: Arise, contend before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice.
2Hear, O mountains, the contention of YHWH, and the enduring ones, the foundations of the earth; for YHWH has a contention with his people, and with Israel he will dispute.
3My people, what have I done to you? And in what have I wearied you? Testify against me.
4For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and from the house of slaves I redeemed you; and 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 YHWH.
6With what shall I come before YHWH, bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?
7Will YHWH be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my belly for the sin of my soul (nephesh)?
8He has told you, O man (adam), what is good; and what does YHWH require of you but to do judgment (mishpat), and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?
9The voice of YHWH cries to the city — and sound wisdom will see your name — hear the rod, and who has appointed it.
10Are there yet treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant ephah that is accursed?
11Shall I be pure with wicked balances, and with a bag of deceitful stones?
12For her rich men are full of violence, and her inhabitants speak falsehood, and their tongue is deceit in their mouth.
13And I also have made you sick with smiting you, making you desolate because of your sins.
14You shall eat but not be satisfied, and your emptiness shall be in your midst; and you shall carry off but not deliver, and what you deliver I will give to the sword.
15You shall sow but not reap; you shall tread the olive but not anoint yourself with oil, and the new wine but not drink wine.
16For the statutes (chuqqot) of Omri are kept, and all the work of the house of Ahab, and you have walked in their counsels; that I may make you a desolation, and her inhabitants a hissing; and you shall bear the reproach of my people.