1 Listen now to what the LORD is saying: Stand up, argue your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear what you say.
2 Mountains, hear the LORD's charge, and you lasting foundations of the earth; for the LORD has a dispute with his people, and with Israel he will argue it out.
3 O my people, what have I done to you? How have I wearied you? Testify against me.
4 Why, I brought you up out of the land of Egypt; I ransomed you out of the house of slaves, and I sent Moses, Aaron and Miriam to go ahead of you.
5 My people, call to mind what Balak king of Moab schemed, and how Balaam son of Beor answered him, and all that happened from Shittim to Gilgal, so that you may acknowledge the LORD's righteous deeds.
6 What shall I bring when I come to meet the LORD and bow down to the God who is on high? Am I to come to him with burnt offerings, with yearling calves?
7 Would the LORD be delighted with rams by the thousand, with oil flowing in ten thousand streams? Should I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the child of my own body for my soul's sin?
8 He has made known to you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD ask of you except to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
9 The voice of the LORD cries to the city, and the one with wisdom will see your name: Hear the rod, and the one who appointed it.
10 Are there still treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the short ephah that is accursed?
11 Can I declare clean the one who uses crooked scales and a bag of false weights?
12 Her wealthy are filled with violence; her people speak falsehood, and the tongue in their mouth is all deceit.
13 So I too have made you sick by striking you, laying you waste because of your sins.
14 You will eat but not have enough; hollowness will be inside you. You will try to carry things off but not get them to safety, and whatever you do rescue I will hand over to the sword.
15 You will plant seed, but you will not harvest; you will press olives, but you will not rub on their oil; you will press new wine, but you will not drink the wine.
16 The decrees of Omri are observed, and every practice of Ahab's house, and you follow their plans; so I will make you an object of horror and her people a thing to hiss at, and you will carry the disgrace of my people.