[6:6] What shall I bring to the Lord, the God of heaven, when I come to worship him? Shall I bring the best calves to burn as offerings to him?
[6:7] Will the Lord be pleased if I bring him thousands of sheep or endless streams of olive oil? Shall I offer him my first-born child to pay for my sins?
[6:8] No, the Lord has told us what is good. What he requires of us is this: to do what is just, to show constant love, and to live in humble fellowship with our God.
[6:9] It is wise to fear the Lord. He calls to the city, “Listen, you people who assemble in the city!
[6:10] In the houses of evil people are treasures which they got dishonestly. They use false measures, a thing that I hate.
[6:11] How can I forgive those who use false scales and weights?
[6:12] Your rich people exploit the poor, and all of you are liars.
[6:13] So I have already begun your ruin and destruction because of your sins.
[6:14] You will eat, but not be satisfied—in fact you will still be hungry. You will carry things off, but you will not be able to save them; anything you do save I will destroy in war.
[6:15] You will sow grain, but not harvest the crop. You will press oil from olives, but never get to use it. You will make wine, but never drink it.
[6:16] This will happen because you have followed the evil practices of King Omri and of his son, King Ahab. You have continued their policies, and so I will bring you to ruin, and everyone will despise you. People everywhere will treat you with contempt.”