Micah 1:8-16

God will also punish Judah's people

8 Because of this trouble, I will cry aloud and I will weep.

I will walk about without shoes or clothes.

I will cry aloud like a wild dog.

I will scream like an owl.

9 Samaria has bad wounds that will not get better.

Now the same trouble will happen to Judah!

It has reached the gates of Jerusalem,

the place where my people live.

10 Do not let our enemies in Gath know about our trouble!

Do not show that you are sad!

But you people in Beth-Leaphrah,

roll in the dirt to show that you are upset.

11 You people who live in Shaphir,

your enemies will take you away as their prisoners.

You will be ashamed, with no clothes to wear.

The people of Zaanan are afraid to leave their city.

The people at Beth-Ezel weep.

They cannot come to help you.

12 The people of Maroth hope for something good to happen.

But the Lord has sent terrible trouble.

It has already reached Jerusalem's city gates.

13 You people of Lachish,

get your horses and chariots ready to run away!

You were the first people in Judah to copy Israel's sins.

You caused Jerusalem's people to turn against God.

14 You will have to say ‘goodbye’ to the people of Moresheth Gath.

Enemies will destroy their town.

The people of Aczib will deceive Israel's kings.

They will not help them.

15 People of Mareshah, the Lord will send an army to attack you.

Israel's great leaders will need to hide in the cave at Adullam.

16 People of Judah, show that you are very sad.

Cut all the hair from your heads

to make yourselves bald like vultures.

Your enemies will take away the children that you love.

They will take them away as prisoners to a foreign country.