Micah 7
1 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 desires the first ripe fig.
I'm totally miserable! I've become like someone trying to glean summer fruit after the grape harvest is over. I can't find any grapes to eat, and there are no early figs that I love.
2 The devout man has 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.
All the good people in the country are gone, there's no one who does right left anywhere. Everyone is looking to murder others; they try to trap even their own brothers.
3 Their hands are upon that which is evil to do it diligently. The ruler asks, and the judge asks for a bribe. And the great man, he utters the evil desire of his soul. Thus they weave it together.
They are experts at evil; both officials and judges ask for bribes; the powerful demand their evil desires; and they scheme together to get what they want.
4 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, has come. Now shall be their perplexity.
Even the best of them is like a thorny bush, the most honest like a thorn hedge. Your day of judgment that was announced by the prophets, your time of punishment, has arrived. You'rethrown into complete confusion.
5 Trust ye not in a neighbor. Put ye not confidence in a friend. Keep the doors of thy mouth from her who lies in thy bosom.
Don't trust a neighbor, don't rely on a friend. Watch what you say even to the one who lies in your arms.
6 For the son dishonors the father. The daughter rises 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 a son treats his father with contempt; a daughter opposes her mother, and a daughter-in-law her mother-in-law. Your enemies are members of your own family.
7 But as for me, I will look to Jehovah. I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.
But as for me, I look to the Lord. I will wait for the God who saves me. My God will hear me.
8 Rejoice not against me, O my enemy. When I fall, I shall arise. When I sit in darkness, Jehovah will be a light to me.
Don't gloat over me, my enemies! Even though I fall, I will rise again. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord is my light.
9 I will bear the indignation of Jehovah, because I have sinned against him, until he pleads my case, and executes judgment for me. He will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness.
I will endure the Lord's anger because I have sinned against him. But after that he will argue my case and give me justice. He will bring me into the light and I will see his integrity.
10 Then my enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her who said to me, Where is Jehovah thy God? My eyes shall see my desire upon her. Now she shall be trodden down as the mire of the streets.
Then my enemies will see it and cover their faces in shame for taunting me, asking, “Where is the Lord your God?” With my own eyes I will see what happens to them; they will be trodden down like mud in the streets.
11 A day for building thy walls! In that day the decree shall be far removed.
On that day it will be time to build your walls. On that day your boundaries will be extended.
12 In that day they shall come to thee from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, and from Egypt even to the River, and from sea to sea, and mountain to mountain.
On that day people will come from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, from Egypt to the Euphrates River, from sea to sea, from mountain to mountain.
13 Yet the land shall be desolate because of those who dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings.
But the rest of the earth will become desolate because of what those who live there have done.
14 Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thy 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.
Protect your people with your shepherd's rod. Take care of your flock, your special people, who live alone in the wilderness and in cultivated land. Let them feed in Basham and Gilead as they did long ago.
15 As in the days of thy coming forth out of the land of Egypt I will show marvelous things to them.
Like the time when you left the land of Egypt, I will do miracles for you.
16 The nations shall see and be ashamed of all their might. They shall lay their hand upon their mouth. Their ears shall be deaf.
The nations will see, and they will be humiliated despite their strength. They will cover their mouths with their hands, and their ears shall become deaf.
17 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 to Jehovah our God, and shall be afraid because of thee.
They will lick the dust like snakes; they will be like the creepy-crawlies of the earth. They will come trembling from their fortresses to meet the Lord our God, fearful and afraid before him.
18 Who is a God like to thee, who pardons iniquity, and passes over the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in loving kindness.
Who is a God like you who forgives sin and passes over the rebellion of those who are left of his special people? You do not remain angry forever because you delight in showing faithful love.
19 He will again have compassion upon us. He will tread our iniquities under foot, and thou will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
You will have compassion on us again. You will tread our sins under your feet, and you will throw our sins into the depths of the sea.
20 Thou will perform the truth to Jacob, and the loving kindness to Abraham, which thou have sworn to our fathers from the days of old.
You will give your trustworthy truth to the people of Jacob, your faithful love to the people of Abraham, as you promised our forefathers long ago.
