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TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
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Micah - Chapter 6

Translation and Transliteration of 

1Hear what Hashem is saying: Come, present [My] case before the mountains, And let the hills hear you pleading.

shi-MU-na ET a-SHER a-do-NAI o-MER, KUM REEV et he-ha-REEM v'-tish-MA-nah ha-ge-va-OT ko-LE-kha

אשִׁמְעוּ־נָ֕א אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֹמֵ֑ר ק֚וּם רִ֣יב אֶת־הֶהָרִ֔ים וְתִשְׁמַ֥עְנָה הַגְּבָע֖וֹת קוֹלֶֽךָ׃

2Hear, you mountains, the case of Hashem— You firm foundations of the earth! For Hashem has a case against His people, He has a suit against Yisrael.

SHI-m'u ha-REEM et-REEV a-do-NAI v'-ha-e-ta-NEEM mo-s'-DEI a-RETZ, KEE REEV la-a-do-NAI im-a-MO v'-im-yis-ra-AYL yit-va-KHAKH

בשִׁמְע֤וּ הָרִים֙ אֶת־רִ֣יב יְהֹוָ֔ה וְהָאֵתָנִ֖ים מ֣וֹסְדֵי אָ֑רֶץ כִּ֣י רִ֤יב לַֽיהֹוָה֙ עִם־עַמּ֔וֹ וְעִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל יִתְוַכָּֽח׃

3“My people! What wrong have I done you? What hardship have I caused you? Testify against Me.

a-MEE meh-a-SEE-tee LE-kha u-MAH hel-AY-tee-KHA a-NEH v'-EE

געַמִּ֛י מֶה־עָשִׂ֥יתִי לְךָ֖ וּמָ֣ה הֶלְאֵתִ֑יךָ עֲנֵ֥ה בִֽי׃

4In fact, I brought you up from the land of Egypt, I redeemed you from the house of bondage, And I sent before you Moshe, Aharon, and Miriam.

ki he-e-li-ti-kha me-E-retz mitz-ra-YIM u-mi-beit a-va-DIM pe-di-ti-kha va-e-shlakh l'-fa-NE-kha et mo-SHEH a-ha-RON u-mir-YAM

דכִּ֤י הֶעֱלִתִ֙יךָ֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם וּמִבֵּ֥ית עֲבָדִ֖ים פְּדִיתִ֑יךָ וָאֶשְׁלַ֣ח לְפָנֶ֔יךָ אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֖ה אַהֲרֹ֥ן וּמִרְיָֽם׃

5“My people, Remember what Balak king of Moab Plotted against you, And how Balaam son of Beor Responded to him. [Recall your passage] From Shittim to Gilgal— And you will recognize The gracious acts of Hashem.”

a-MI z'-KOR-NA ma YA-atz BA-lak MEL-ek MO-av u-ME a-NA o-TO bi-LAM ben-B'-or min ha-SHI-tim ad ha-gil-GAL l'-MA-an da-AT tzid-KOT a-do-NAI

העַמִּ֗י זְכׇר־נָא֙ מַה־יָּעַ֗ץ בָּלָק֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מוֹאָ֔ב וּמֶה־עָנָ֥ה אֹת֖וֹ בִּלְעָ֣ם בֶּן־בְּע֑וֹר מִן־הַשִּׁטִּים֙ עַד־הַגִּלְגָּ֔ל לְמַ֕עַן דַּ֖עַת צִדְק֥וֹת יְהֹוָֽה׃

6With what shall I approach Hashem, Do homage to Hashem on high? Shall I approach Him with burnt offerings, With calves a year old?

ba-MAH a-ka-DEM a-do-NAI i-KAF le-lo-HEI ma-ROM ha-a-ka-DE-m'-NU b'-o-LOT ba-a-ga-LEEM b'-nay sha-NAH

ובַּמָּה֙ אֲקַדֵּ֣ם יְהֹוָ֔ה אִכַּ֖ף לֵאלֹהֵ֣י מָר֑וֹם הַאֲקַדְּמֶ֣נּוּ בְעוֹל֔וֹת בַּעֲגָלִ֖ים בְּנֵ֥י שָׁנָֽה׃

7Would Hashem be pleased with thousands of rams, With myriads of streams of oil? Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, The fruit of my body for my sins?

ha-YIR-tzeh a-do-NAI b'-al-FAY ay-LEEM b'-riv-VOT na-cha-LEI sha-MEN ha-e-TEN b'-ko-REE pish-EE p'-REE vit-NEE cha-TAT naf-SHEE

זהֲיִרְצֶ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ בְּאַלְפֵ֣י אֵילִ֔ים בְּרִֽבְב֖וֹת נַחֲלֵי־שָׁ֑מֶן הַאֶתֵּ֤ן בְּכוֹרִי֙ פִּשְׁעִ֔י פְּרִ֥י בִטְנִ֖י חַטַּ֥את נַפְשִֽׁי׃

8“He has told you, O man, what is good, And what Hashem requires of you: Only to do justice And to love goodness, And to walk modestly with your God;

hi-GEED l'-KHA a-DAM mah TOV u-mah a-do-NAI do-RAYSH mi-m'-KHA KEE im a-SOT mish-PAT v'-A-ha-vat KHE-sed v'-hatz-NAY-a LE-khet im e-lo-HE-kha

חהִגִּ֥יד לְךָ֛ אָדָ֖ם מַה־טּ֑וֹב וּמָֽה־יְהֹוָ֞ה דּוֹרֵ֣שׁ מִמְּךָ֗ כִּ֣י אִם־עֲשׂ֤וֹת מִשְׁפָּט֙ וְאַ֣הֲבַת חֶ֔סֶד וְהַצְנֵ֥עַ לֶ֖כֶת עִם־אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃

 6:8  Walk modestly with your God

Man gives money to a beggar on the streets of Jerusalem.

The people search for Hashem, earnestly but blindly, by increasing their offerings and bringing more sacrifices. Micha replies with the most sublime verse of his book, linking piety with ethics and righteousness with empathy. What God wants from man is that he act justly, love kindness, and walk humbly with Hashem. Based on this verse, the Sages extol the virtues of modesty in all areas of life, such as the importance of giving charity anonymously or dressing in clothing that conceals more than reveals. In ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods in Israel, this verse is often quoted on signs that welcome tourists but request that visitors abide by the sensitivities of the community by dressing modestly.

9Then will your name achieve wisdom.” Hark! Hashem Summons the city: Hear, O scepter; For who can direct her

KOL a-do-NAI la-IR yik-RA, v'-tu-shi-YAH yir-EH sh'-ME-kha, shi-MU ma-TEH u-mi ya-a-DAH

טק֤וֹל יְהֹוָה֙ לָעִ֣יר יִקְרָ֔א וְתוּשִׁיָּ֖ה יִרְאֶ֣ה שְׁמֶ֑ךָ שִׁמְע֥וּ מַטֶּ֖ה וּמִ֥י יְעָדָֽהּ׃

10but you? Will I overlook, in the wicked man's house, The granaries of wickedness And the accursed short efah?

OD ha-ISH beit ra-SHA o-tz'-ROT re-SHA v'-AY-fat ra-ZON ze-U-MAH

יע֗וֹד הַאִשׁ֙ בֵּ֣ית רָשָׁ֔ע אֹצְר֖וֹת רֶ֑שַׁע וְאֵיפַ֥ת רָז֖וֹן זְעוּמָֽה׃

11Shall he be acquitted despite wicked balances And a bag of fraudulent weights?—

ha-ez-KEH b'-moz-NEI re-SHA u-v'-khis av-NEI mir-MAH

יאהַאֶזְכֶּ֖ה בְּמֹ֣אזְנֵי רֶ֑שַׁע וּבְכִ֖יס אַבְנֵ֥י מִרְמָֽה׃

12Whose rich men are full of lawlessness, And whose inhabitants speak treachery, With tongues of deceit in their mouths.

a-SHER a-SHEE-re-HA ma-LOO kha-MAS v'-yo-sh'-VE-ha di-b'-RU sha-KER u-l'-sho-NAHM r'-mee-YAH b'-fi-HEM

יבאֲשֶׁ֤ר עֲשִׁירֶ֙יהָ֙ מָלְא֣וּ חָמָ֔ס וְיֹשְׁבֶ֖יהָ דִּבְּרוּ־שָׁ֑קֶר וּלְשׁוֹנָ֖ם רְמִיָּ֥ה בְּפִיהֶֽם׃

13I, in turn, have beaten you sore, Have stunned [you] for your sins:

v'-GAM a-NEE he-khe-LEE-tee ha-ko-TE-kha ha-SHEM-em al kha-to-TE-kha

יגוְגַם־אֲנִ֖י הֶֽחֱלֵ֣יתִי הַכּוֹתֶ֑ךָ הַשְׁמֵ֖ם עַל־חַטֹּאתֶֽךָ׃

14You have been eating without getting your fill, And there is a gnawing at your vitals; You have been conceiving without bearing young, And what you bore I would deliver to the sword.

a-TAH to-KHAL v'-lo tis-BA, v'-yesh-KHA-kha b'-kir-BE-kha, v'-ta-SEG v'-lo ta-f'-LEET, va-a-SHER t'-fa-LET la-KHE-rev e-TEN

ידאַתָּ֤ה תֹאכַל֙ וְלֹ֣א תִשְׂבָּ֔ע וְיֶשְׁחֲךָ֖ בְּקִרְבֶּ֑ךָ וְתַסֵּג֙ וְלֹ֣א תַפְלִ֔יט וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר תְּפַלֵּ֖ט לַחֶ֥רֶב אֶתֵּֽן׃

15You have been sowing, but have nothing to reap; You have trod olives, but have no oil for rubbing, And grapes but have no wine to drink.

a-TAH tiz-RA v'-lo tik-TZOR, a-TAH tid-ROKH-ZAYT v'-lo-ta-SUKH SHE-men, v'-ti-ROSH v'-lo tish-TEH-YA-yin

טואַתָּ֥ה תִזְרַ֖ע וְלֹ֣א תִקְצ֑וֹר אַתָּ֤ה תִדְרֹֽךְ־זַ֙יִת֙ וְלֹא־תָס֣וּךְ שֶׁ֔מֶן וְתִיר֖וֹשׁ וְלֹ֥א תִשְׁתֶּה־יָּֽיִן׃

16Yet you have kept the laws of Omri, And all the practices of the House of Achav, And have followed what they devised. Therefore I will make you an object of horror And her inhabitants an object of hissing; And you shall bear the mockery of peoples.

v'-yish-TA-mer khuk-KOT o-m'-REE v'-KOL ma-a-SAY vayt-aKH-AV va-TEL-khu b'-mo-a-TZO-tam l'-ma-an ti-TI ot-KHA l'-sha-MAH v'-yo-sh'-VE-ha lish-RE-ka v'-kher-PAT a-MEE ti-SA-u. (P)

טזוְיִשְׁתַּמֵּ֞ר חֻקּ֣וֹת עׇמְרִ֗י וְכֹל֙ מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה בֵית־אַחְאָ֔ב וַתֵּלְכ֖וּ בְּמֹעֲצוֹתָ֑ם לְמַ֩עַן֩ תִּתִּ֨י אֹתְךָ֜ לְשַׁמָּ֗ה וְיֹשְׁבֶ֙יהָ֙ לִשְׁרֵקָ֔ה וְחֶרְפַּ֥ת עַמִּ֖י תִּשָּֽׂאוּ׃