Micah 7

1 Woe, woe is me, for I have become like a field after harvest, like a vineyard after gathering; not a cluster of grapes to eat, not a fig that anyone desires.

Woe is me! for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grapegleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat: my soul desired the firstripe fruit.

2 The honest have perished from the land, of the upright among people there is none. All of them lie in wait to shed blood. They hunt one another with the net.

The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net.

3 Their hands know well how to do evil, the officer and judge demands a bribe, the high official decides as he pleases and they conspire to pervert justice.

That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up.

4 The best of them are like a thorn thicket, their most upright like a prickly hedge. The day of their punishment has come, now will be their confusion!

The best of them is as a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh; now shall be their perplexity.

5 Do not trust your neighbour, do not rely on a friend. From the wife who lies in your arms guard your tongue.

Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.

6 For son insults father, daughter rises up against mother, daughter-in-law against mother-in-law, a man’s enemies are the people of his own household.

For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man's enemies are the men of his own house.

7 But I will look to the Lord, I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me!

Therefore I will look unto YHWH; I will wait for the Elohim of my salvation: my Elohim will hear me.

8 Do not rejoice over me, my enemy. If I have fallen, I will rise. If I sit in darkness, the Lord is my light.

Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, YHWH shall be a light unto me.

9 The anger of the Lord I will bear, for against him have I sinned – until he champions my cause and gives judgment for me. He will bring me into to the light, I will see his justice.

I will bear the indignation of YHWH, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness.

10 So my enemy will see, and shame will cover them, they who said, ‘Where is the Lord your God?’ I will look upon them, they will be trampled on like mud in the street!

Then she that is mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where is YHWH thy Elohim? mine eyes shall behold her: now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets.

11 It is a day for rebuilding your walls, this day will your boundary will be extended.

In the day that thy walls are to be built, in that day shall the decree be far removed.

12 This day they will come to you, from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, and from Egypt even to the Euphrates River, from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain.

In that day also he shall come even to thee from Assyria, and from the fortified cities, and from the fortress even to the river, and from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain.

13 Though the land has become a desolation because of its inhabitants, because of their deeds.

Notwithstanding the land shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings.

14 Shepherd your flock with your staff, the flock that belong to you, who live alone in the forest, in the midst of meadows; so that they may pasture in Bashon and Gilead as in the days of old,

Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood, in the midst of Carmel: let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.

15 as in the days when you came from Egypt, gave us wonders to see.

According to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt will I shew unto him marvellous things.

16 Nations will see and be ashamed of all their might; they will put their hands to their mouth, their ears will become deaf,

The nations shall see and be confounded at all their might: they shall lay their hand upon their mouth, their ears shall be deaf.

17 they will lick the dust like snakes, like creatures that crawl on the earth; they will come trembling and in terror from their hiding places, in dread and fear.

They shall lick the dust like a serpent, they shall move out of their holes like worms of the earth: they shall be afraid of YHWH our Elohim, and shall fear because of thee.

18 Who is a God like you, forgiving iniquity and passing by the rebellion of the remnant of your people? He does not retain his anger forever, but is one who delights in mercy.

Who is an El like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.

19 He will tread under foot our iniquity; you will cast into the depths of the sea all our iniquities.

He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

20 You will show faithfulness to Jacob, and loving kindness to Abraham, as you have sworn to our ancestors from the days of old.

Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.