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 grape gleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat; my soul desireth the firstripe fig.

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 godly 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.

Their hands are upon that which is evil to do it diligently; the prince asketh, and the judge [is ready] for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth the mischief of his soul: thus they weave it together.

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 [worse] than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen, even thy visitation, is come; 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!

But as for me, I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God 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, the LORD 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 the LORD, 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 mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her; which said unto me, Where is the LORD thy God? 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.

A day for building thy walls! 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 shall they come unto thee, from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, and from Egypt 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.

Yet shall the land 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 forest 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.

As in the days of thy coming forth out of the land of Egypt will I shew unto him marvelous 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 ashamed of 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; like crawling things of the earth they shall come trembling out of their close places: they shall come with fear unto the LORD our God, and shall be afraid 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 a God 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 and have compassion upon us; he will tread our iniquities under foot: 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.