¶ Hear ye¹ now what the LORD saith; Arise², contend³ thou before⁴ the mountains, and let⁵ the hills hear thy voice.

Hear ye, O mountains, the LORD'S controversy, and ye strong foundations⁶ of the earth: for the LORD hath a controversy⁷ with his people, and he will plead with Israel.

O my⁸ people, what⁹ have I done unto thee? and wherein¹⁰ have I wearied thee? testify¹¹ against me.

For I brought¹² thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed¹³ thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses¹⁴, Aaron, and Miriam.

O my people, remember¹⁵ now what Balak¹⁶ king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam¹⁷ the son of Beor answered him from Shittim¹⁸ unto Gilgal; that ye may know¹⁹ the righteousness of the LORD.

¶ Wherewith²⁰ shall I come before the LORD, and bow²¹ myself before the high²² God? shall I come before him with²³ burnt offerings, with calves of a year old²⁴?

Will the LORD be pleased²⁵ with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers²⁶ of oil? shall²⁷ I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body²⁸ for the sin of my soul?

He hath shewed thee, O man²⁹, what is³⁰ good; and what³¹ doth the LORD require of thee, but to do³² justly, and to love³³ mercy, and to walk humbly³⁴ with thy God?

¶ The LORD'S³⁵ voice crieth unto the city, and³⁶ the man of wisdom shall see thy name³⁷: hear³⁸ ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.

¶ Are³⁹ there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and⁴⁰ the scant measure⁴¹ that is abominable?

Shall I count them pure⁴² with the wicked balances, and with the bag⁴³ of deceitful weights?

For the rich⁴⁴ men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken⁴⁵ lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.

Therefore also will I make⁴⁶ thee sick in⁴⁷ smiting thee, in making thee desolate because of thy sins.

Thou shalt eat⁴⁸, but not be satisfied; and thy casting down shall be in the midst of thee; and thou⁴⁹ shalt take hold, but shalt not deliver; and that which thou deliverest will I give up to the sword.

⁵⁰Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil; and sweet wine, but shalt not drink wine.

For the statutes of Omri are kept⁵¹, and all the works⁵² of the house of Ahab, and ye walk⁵³ in their counsels; that⁵⁴ I should make thee a desolation⁵⁵, and the inhabitants thereof an hissing: therefore ye shall bear the reproach of my people.