Micah 7

1 Woe is me! for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the gleaning of grapes of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat: my soul desired the first-fruits 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 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.

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 asks, and the judge asks for a reward; and the great man, he utters his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up.

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 your watchmen and your visitation comes; 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 all of you not in a friend, put all of you not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of your mouth from her that lies in your 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 dishonours 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 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 unto 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 mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto 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 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 mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where is the LORD your God? mine 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 your 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 you 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 Notwithstanding the land shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings.

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

14 Feed your people with your rod, the flock of your heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood, 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 your coming out of the land of Egypt will I show unto 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 you.

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 unto you, that pardons iniquity, and passes by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retains not his anger for ever, because he delights 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 return, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and you will 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 You will perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which you have sworn unto 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.