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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

7 But as for me, I will look to Jehovah. 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, Jehovah will be a light to me.

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.

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.

11 A day for building thy walls! In that day the decree shall be far removed.

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.

13 Yet the land shall be desolate because of those who dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings.

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.

15 As in the days of thy coming forth out of the land of Egypt I will show marvelous things to them.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.