Micah 7

1 Alas for me! for I am become as gatherings of summer fruit, as gleaning-grapes in harvest, there is no cluster to eat, the first ripe fruit, my soul, craved.

Woe is me! I have become like the gathering of summer fruit, and like the grapes that have been gleaned; there is no grape cluster to eat, no ripe early fig that my soul desires.

2 Perished is the man of lovingkindness out of the earth, and, upright among men, is there none, —they all, for bloodshed, lie in wait. Every man—for his brother, do they hunt as for one devoted to destruction.

Faithful people have disappeared from the land; there is no upright person in all mankind. They all lie in wait to shed blood; each one hunts his own brother with a net.

3 Of wickedness with both hands to make sure, the ruler, doth make demand—and the judge—for a recompense, —and, as for the great man, he, is putting into words the desire of his soul, So have they woven the net!

Their hands are very good at doing harm: the ruler asks for money, the judge is ready for bribes, and the powerful man is saying to others what he wants to obtain. Thus they plot together.

4 The best of them, is as a sharp briar, and, the most upright, worse than a thorn hedge, The day of thy watchmen—of thy visitation, hath come, Now, shall be their confusion!

The best of them is like a brier, the most upright is worse than a thorn hedge. It is the day foretold by your watchmen, the day of your punishment. Now is the time of their confusion.

5 Do not trust in a friend, do not put confidence in an associate, —from her that lieth in thy bosom, keep thou the doors of thy mouth;

Do not trust any neighbor; put no confidence in any friend. Be careful about what you say even to the woman who lies in your arms.

6 For, the son, treateth as foolish, the father, and, the daughter, riseth up against, her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, —The foes of a man, are the men of his own house.

For a son dishonors his father, a daughter rises up against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man's enemies are the people of his own house.

7 But, I, for Yahweh, will watch, I will wait for the God of my salvation, —My God, will hear me.

But as for me, I will look to Yahweh. I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.

8 Do not rejoice, O mine enemy, against me, Though I fall, I shall rise again! Though I sit in darkness, Yahweh, is a light to me.

Do not rejoice over me, my enemy. After I fall, I will rise. When I sit in darkness, Yahweh will be a light for me.

9 The indignation of Yahweh, will I bear, for I have sinned against him, —until he take up my controversy, then will he do me justice, he will bring me forth to the light, I shall behold his righteousness.

Because I sinned against Yahweh, I will bear his rage until he pleads my cause, and executes judgment for me. He will bring me to the light, and I will see him rescue me in his justice.

10 So shall she who had been mine enemy fear, and shame, shall cover her, who used to say unto me—Where is Yahweh thy God? Mine own eyes, shall look upon her, Now, shall she become one to he trodden down, like the mire of the lanes.

Then my enemy will see it, and shame will cover the one who said to me, “Where is Yahweh your God?” My eyes will look at her; she will be trampled down like the mud in the streets.

11 On the day for building thy walls, —on that day, far away shall be thy boundary:

A day to build your walls will come; on that day the boundaries will be extended very far.

12 The very day, that, against thee, shall one come from Assyria, and [from] the cities of Egypt; yea from Egypt, even unto the River, and from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain:

On that day your people will come to you, from Assyria and the cities in Egypt, from Egypt to the River, from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain.

13 Though the land become a desolation, because of them that dwell therein, —by reason of the fruit of their doings.

But the land will be desolate because of the people who are living there, because of the fruit of their actions.

14 Shepherd thou thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine inheritance, Dwell thou alone, a jungle in the midst of a fruitful field, —Let them feed in Bashan and in Gilead, as in the days of age-past times.

Shepherd your people with your rod, the flock of your inheritance. They live alone in a thicket, in the midst of a pastureland. Let them graze in Bashan and Gilead as in the old days.

15 As in the days of thy coming forth out of the land of Egypt, will I shew him wonders.

As in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt, I will show them wonders.

16 Nations, shall see, that they may turn pale at all their valour, —they shall lay hand on mouth, their ears, shall be silent:

The nations will see and be ashamed of all their power. They will put their hands on their mouths; their ears will be deaf.

17 They shall lick the dust like the serpent, Like the crawlers of the earth, shall they come quaking out of their fastnesses, —Towards Yahweh our God, shall they pay adoration, and shall fear because of thee.

They will lick the dust like a snake, like creatures that crawl on the earth. They will come out of their dens with fear; they will come with fear to you, Yahweh our God, and they will be afraid because of you.

18 Who is a GOD like unto thee, taking away the iniquity—and passing over the transgression—of the remnant of his inheritance? He hath not held fast, perpetually, his anger, for, one who delighteth in lovingkindness, is he!

Who is a God like you— who takes away sin, who passes over the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? He does not keep his anger forever, because he delights in his covenant faithfulness.

19 He will again have compassion upon us, he will subdue our iniquities, —Thou wilt cast—into the depths of the sea—all their sins.

You will again have compassion on us; you will trample our iniquities under your feet. You will throw all our sins into the depths of the sea.

20 Thou wilt grant—the faithfulness to Jacob, the lovingkindness to Abraham, —which thou didst swear to our fathers, from the days of ancient time.

You will give truth to Jacob and covenant faithfulness to Abraham, as you swore to our ancestors in ancient days.