Micah 1

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 The word of Yahweh which came to Micah of Moresheth during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz andHezekiah kings of Judah. His visions about Samaria and Jerusalem.	1 The word of the LORD which came to Micah of Moresheth in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah: that is, the vision he received concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.
2 Listen, al you peoples, attend, earth and everyone on it! Yahweh intends to give evidence against you,the Lord, from his holy temple.	2 Hear, O peoples, all of you, give heed, O earth, and all that fills you! Let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple!
3 For look, Yahweh is leaving his home, down he comes, he treads the heights of earth.	3 For see, the LORD comes forth from his place, he descends and treads upon the heights of the earth.
4 Beneath him, the mountains melt, and val eys are torn open, like wax near a fire, like water pouringdown a slope.	4 The mountains melt under him and the valleys split open, Like wax before the fire, like water poured down a slope.
5 Al this is because of the crime of Jacob, the sin of the House of Israel. What is the crime of Jacob? Is itnot Samaria? What is the sin of the House of Judah? Is it not Jerusalem?	5 For the crime of Jacob all this comes to pass, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the crime of Jacob? Is it not Samaria? And what is the sin of the house of Judah? Is it not Jerusalem?
6 So I shal make Samaria a ruin in the open country, a place for planting vines. I shal send her stonesrol ing into the val ey, until I have laid her foundations bare.	6 I will make Samaria a stone heap in the field, a place to plant for vineyards; I will throw down into the valley her stones, and lay bare her foundations.
7 Al her images wil be shattered, al her earnings consumed by fire. I shal leave al her idols derelict-they were amassed out of prostitutes' earnings and prostitutes' earnings once more they wil be.	7 All her idols shall be broken to pieces, all her wages shall be burned in the fire, and all her statues I will destroy. As the wages of a harlot they were gathered, and to the wages of a harlot shall they return.
8 This is why I shal howl and wail, why I shal go barefoot and naked, why I shall howl like the jackals,why I shal shriek like the owls;	8 For this reason I lament and wail, I go barefoot and naked; I utter lamentation like the jackals, and mourning like the ostriches.
9 for there is no cure for the wounds that Yahweh inflicts: the blow fal s on Judah, it fal s on the gateway ofmy people, on Jerusalem itself.	9 There is no remedy for the blow she has been struck; rather, it has come even to Judah, It reaches to the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.
10 Do not announce it in Gath, in . . . shed no tears! In Beth-Leaphrah rol in the dust!	10 Publish it not in Gath, weep not at all; In Beth-leaphrah roll in the dust.
11 Sound the horn, inhabitant of Shaphir! She has not left her city, she who lives in Zaanan. Beth-Ezel istorn from its foundations, from its strong supports.	11 Pass by, you who dwell in Shaphir! The inhabitants of Zaanan come not forth from their city. The lamentation of Beth-ezel finds in you its grounds.
12 What hope has she of happiness, she who lives in Maroth? Instead Yahweh sent down disaster on thegateway of Jerusalem itself!	12 How can the inhabitants of Maroth hope for good? For evil has come down from the LORD to the gate of Jerusalem.
13 Harness the horse to the chariot, you inhabitant of Lachish! That is where the sin of the daughter ofZion began; the crimes of Israel can be traced to you!	13 Harness steeds to the chariots, O inhabitants of Lachish; Lachish, the beginning of sin for daughter Zion, Because there were in you the crimes of Israel.
14 And so you must provide a dowry for Moresheth-Gath. Beth-Achzib wil prove a disappointment for thekings of Israel.	14 Therefore you shall give parting gifts to Moresheth-gath; Beth-achzib is a deception to the kings of Israel.
15 The plunderer will come to you again, you citizen of Mareshah! And into Adullam wil vanish the gloryof Israel.	15 Yet must I bring to you the conqueror, O inhabitants of Mareshah; Even to Adullam shall go the glory of Israel.
16 Off with your hair, shave your head, for the children that were your joy. Make yourselves bald like thevulture, for they have left you for exile.	16 Make yourself bald, pluck out your hair, for the children whom you cherish; Let your baldness be as the eagle's, because they are exiled from you.