Micah 7

1 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.

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.

2 The good man hath perished from 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.

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.

3 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 weave it together.

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.

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

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!

5 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.

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

6 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.

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.

7 Therefore I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.

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

8 Rejoice not against me, O my enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light to me.

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

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

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.

10 Then she that is my enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her who said to me, Where is the LORD thy God? my eyes shall behold her: now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets.

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!

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

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

12 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.

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.

13 Afterwards the land shall be desolate because of them that dwell in it, for the fruit of their doings.

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

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

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,

15 According to the days of thy departure from the land of Egypt will I show to him marvellous things.

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

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

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

17 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 the LORD our God, and shall fear because of thee.

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.

18 Who is a God like 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.

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.

19 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.

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

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

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