The Lord’s Case Against Israel
1Listen to what the Lord says:
“Stand up, plead my case before the mountains;
let the hills hear what you have to say.
2“Hear, you mountains, the Lord’s accusation;
listen, you everlasting foundations of the earth.
For the Lord has a case against his people;
he is lodging a charge against Israel.
3“My people, what have I done to you?
How have I burdened you? Answer me.
4I brought you up out of Egypt
and redeemed you from the land of slavery.
I sent Moses to lead you,
also Aaron and Miriam.
5My people, remember
what Balak king of Moab plotted
and what Balaam son of Beor answered.
Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal,
that you may know the righteous acts of the Lord.”
6With what shall I come before the Lord
and bow down before the exalted God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?
7Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
with ten thousand rivers of olive oil?
Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
8He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly6:8 Or prudently with your God.
Israel’s Guilt and Punishment
9Listen! The Lord is calling to the city—
and to fear your name is wisdom—
“Heed the rod and the One who appointed it.6:9 The meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.
10Am I still to forget your ill-gotten treasures, you wicked house,
and the short ephah,6:10 An ephah was a dry measure. which is accursed?
11Shall I acquit someone with dishonest scales,
with a bag of false weights?
12Your rich people are violent;
your inhabitants are liars
and their tongues speak deceitfully.
13Therefore, I have begun to destroy you,
to ruin6:13 Or Therefore, I will make you ill and destroy you; / I will ruin you because of your sins.
14You will eat but not be satisfied;
your stomach will still be empty.6:14 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
You will store up but save nothing,
because what you save6:14 Or You will press toward birth but not give birth, / and what you bring to birth I will give to the sword.
15You will plant but not harvest;
you will press olives but not use the oil,
you will crush grapes but not drink the wine.
16You have observed the statutes of Omri
and all the practices of Ahab’s house;
you have followed their traditions.
Therefore I will give you over to ruin
and your people to derision;
you will bear the scorn of the nations.6:16 Septuagint; Hebrew scorn due my people”
Mlandu wa Yehova ndi Israeli
1Tamverani zimene Yehova akunena:
“Nyamukani, fotokozani mlandu wanu pamaso pa mapiri;
zitunda zimve zimene inu muti muyankhule.
2Imvani mlandu wa Yehova, inu mapiri;
tamverani, maziko amuyaya a dziko lapansi.
Pakuti Yehova ali ndi mlandu ndi anthu ake;
Iye akutsutsa Aisraeli.
3“Anthu anga, kodi ndakuchitirani chiyani?
Kodi ndakutopetsani bwanji? Ndiyankheni.
4Ine ndinakutulutsani ku dziko la Igupto
ndi kukuwombolani ku nyumba ya ukapolo.
Ndinatuma Mose kuti akutsogolereni,
pamodzi ndi Aaroni ndi Miriamu.
5Anthu anga, kumbukirani
zimene Balaki mfumu ya ku Mowabu inafuna kukuchitirani
ndiponso zimene Balaamu mwana wa Beori anayankha.
Kumbukirani zomwe zinachitika pa ulendo wochoka ku Sitimu kupita ku Giligala,
kuti mudziwe machitidwe olungama a Yehova.”
6Kodi ndidzatenga chiyani kupita nacho pamaso pa Yehova
ndi kukagwada pamaso pa Mulungu wakumwamba?
Kodi ndidzabwera pamaso pake ndi nsembe yopsereza,
ndi ana angʼombe a chaka chimodzi?
7Kodi Yehova adzakondwera ndi nkhosa zazimuna 1,000,
kapena ndi mitsinje yosalekeza ya mafuta?
Kodi ndipereke nsembe mwana wanga woyamba kubadwa chifukwa cha zolakwa zanga?
Chipatso cha thupi langa chifukwa cha tchimo la moyo wanga?
8Munthu iwe, Yehova wakuonetsa kale chimene chili chabwino.
Tsono kodi Yehova akuyembekezera chiyani kwa iwe?
Uzichita zolungama ndi kukonda chifundo
ndiponso kuyenda modzichepetsa pamaso pa Mulungu wako.
Kulakwa kwa Israeli ndi Chilango chake
9Tamverani! Yehova akuyitana anthu okhala mu mzinda
ndi nzeru kuopa dzina lanu.
“Mverani mfumu ndi Iye amene anayikhazikitsa.
10Inu anthu oyipa, kodi Ine nʼkuyiwala
chuma chanu chimene munachipeza mwachinyengo,
ndiponso muyeso wanu woperewera umene ndi wotembereredwa?
11Kodi ndimutenge ngati wosalakwa munthu amene ali ndi sikelo yachinyengo,
ndiponso miyeso yabodza mʼthumba lake?
12Anthu ake olemera amachita zachiwawa;
anthu ake ndi abodza
ndipo pakamwa pawo pamayankhula zachinyengo.
13Choncho, ndayamba kukuwonongani,
kukusakazani chifukwa cha machimo anu.
14Mudzadya, koma simudzakhuta;
mudzakhalabe ndi njala.
Mudzasunga zinthu, koma sizidzasungika,
chifukwa zimene mudzasunga zidzawonongedwa ndi lupanga.
15Mudzadzala, koma simudzakolola.
Mudzayenga mafuta a olivi, koma simudzawagwiritsa ntchito.
Mudzaponda mphesa, koma simudzamwa vinyo wake.
16Inu mwatsatira malangizo a Omuri
ndiponso machitidwe onse a banja la Ahabu,
ndi khalidwe lawo lonse.
Choncho Ine ndidzakuperekani kuti muwonongedwe
ndiponso anthu anu kuti azunguzike mitu;
mudzanyozedwa ndi anthu a mitundu ina.”
