The Lord's Challenge to His People
1 The Lord said to his people:
Come and present your case
to the hills and mountains.
2 Israel, I am bringing charges
against you—
I call upon the mountains
and the earth's firm foundation
to be my witnesses.
3 My people, have I wronged you
in any way at all?
Please tell me.
4 I rescued you from Egypt,
where you were slaves.
I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam
to be your leaders.
5 Don't forget the evil plans
of King Balak of Moab
or what Balaam son of Beor
said to him.
Remember how I, the Lord,
saved you many times
on your way from Acacia
to Gilgal.
True Obedience
6 What offering should I bring
when I bow down to worship
the Lord God Most High?
Should I try to please him
by sacrificing
calves a year old?
7 Will thousands of sheep
or rivers of olive oil
make God satisfied with me?
Should I sacrifice to the Lord
my first-born child as payment
for my terrible sins?
8 The Lord God has told us
what is right
and what he demands:
“See that justice is done,
let mercy be your first concern,
and humbly obey your God.”
Cheating and Violence
9 I am the Lord,
and you are wise to respect
my power to punish.
So listen to my message
for the city of Jerusalem:
10 You store up stolen treasures
and use dishonest scales.
11 But I, the Lord, will punish you
for cheating with weights
and with measures.
12 You rich people are violent,
and everyone tells lies.
13 Because of your sins,
I will wound you and leave you
ruined and defenseless.
14 You will eat,
but still be hungry;
you will store up goods,
but lose everything—
I, the Lord, will let it all
be captured in war.
15 You won't harvest what you plant
or use the oil
from your olive trees
or drink the wine
from grapes you grow.
16 Jerusalem, this will happen
because you followed
the sinful example
of kings Omri and Ahab.
Now I will destroy you
and your property.
Then the people of every nation
will make fun and insult you.
Otjiposa tja Muhona kuna Israel
1 Purateneye kotjiposa tja Muhona kuna Israel.
Sekama, Muhona, u hungire otjiposa tjoye, kutja ozondundu novivanda vi zuve mbi mo hungire.
2 Eṋe zondundu, eṋe mazikameno wehi omakarerere, purateneye kotjiposa tja Muhona! Muhona una otjiposa kuna otjiwaṋa tje, nu ma vanga okuyandja ondjo kOisrael.
3 Muhona ma tja nai: “Tjiwaṋa tjandje, hapo mba ungura tjike kove, nu mbe ku urisa na tjike? Ndji zira. 4 Ami mbe ku pitisa mehi ra Engipte ne ku kutura, nu mbe ku hindira ooMoses na Aron na Miriam okukuhongorera. 5 Tjiwaṋa tjandje, zemburuka kutja Balak, ombara ya Moab, we ripurire na tjike, nokutja Balaam, omuzandu wa Beor, we mu zirire vi; zemburuka imbi mbya tjitirwe okuza kOsitim nga kOgilgal. Rizemburuka noviṋa mbi nove otji mo munu imbi mbi mba tjita okukuyama.”
Oviṋa Muhona mbye vanga
6 Hi ete tjike komurungu wa Muhona tji meya okurikotamena ku Ndjambi weyuru? Hi ete ozondana ozondume okuzepunguhira ye ze rire ozombunguhiro ozoningiririsiwa are? 7 Indu Muhona ma kara nonyuṋe mozondwezu zozonḓu omayovi poo momipupo vyomaze womiṋinga mbi hi nondjandero are? Hi mu punguhire otjiveri tjandje kokusuta ondjo yomauvi wandje are? 8 Ayee kako! Atjihe otjiwa eṱe twa tjivisiwa. Ihi Muhona tji ma ningire ku eṱe otjo hi: Okutjita ousemba, okusuvera Ndjambi novandu norusuvero oruṱakame norukarerere, nokukara nomahakaeneno kuna Ndjambi wetu.
9 Okokuwa okukara nondira ku Muhona. Eraka re mari ravaere nai kotjihuro: “Zuveye, vature mbu mwa woronganena motjihuro! 10 Mozondjuwo zovanauvi nga mba mu novihuze vyouhasemba. Owo ve ungurisa ovisanekero vyoposyo mbi mba tonda. 11 Me yenene vi okuisira ovandu mbe ungurisa ovisanekero vyoposyo novitenda vyondjinda vyovineya? 12 Ovatumbe motjihuro ve ura noutwe; nu imba ovature vatjo ve hungira ovizeze novineya. 13 Ami opu me ku verere notjirwaro otjihihamise nomayandekero mena rourunde woye. 14 Ove mo ri nu ko nokukuta; tjiri, mo ṱondjara. Tji wa toora oviṋa okukapwika, ko nokukeviṱakamisa; avihe mbi wa pwike ami me vi nyono movita. 15 Ove mo kunu ovikokotwa, nungwari ko nokuvikonda ko; mo kama omaze womiṋinga, nu ko nokurivava na wo; mo kama omeva womandjembere, nu ko nokuyenwa ko. 16 Imbi mavi tjitwa mena rokutja wa horera kongarero ombi yombara Omri noyomuzandu we, ombara Ahab. Ove wa ryanga otja konḓero yawo, notji me ku yandeke, novandu avehe ave ku nyekerere. Novandu ngamwa akuhe mave ku tara nomanyengu.”
