Michaeas 7
1 Alas for me! for I am become as one gathering straw in harvest, and as [one gathering] grape-gleanings in the vintage, when there is no cluster for me to eat the first-ripe fruit: alas my soul!
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 For the godly is perished from the earth; and there is none among men that orders [his way] aright: they all quarrel even to blood: they grievously afflict every one his neighbor:
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 they prepare their hands for mischief, the prince asks [a reward], and the judge speaks flattering words; it is the desire of their soul:
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 therefore I will take away their goods as a devouring moth, and as one who acts by a [rigid] rule in a day of visitation. Woe, woe, your times of vengeance are come; now shall be their lamentations.
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 not in friends, and confide not in guides: beware of your wife, so as not to commit anything to her.
Do not trust your neighbour, do not rely on a friend. From the wife who lies in your arms guard your tongue.
6 For the son dishonors his father, the daughter will rise up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law: those in his house [shall be] all a man's enemies.
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 But I will look to the Lord; I will wait upon God my Saviour: my God will listen to 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, mine enemy; for I have fallen [yet] shall arise; for though I should 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 make good my cause: he also shall maintain my right, and shall bring me out 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 And she that is mine enemy shall see it, and shall clothe herself with shame, who says, Where [is] the Lord your God? mine eyes shall look upon her: now shall she be for trampling as mire in the ways.
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 [It is] the day of making of brick; that day shall be your utter destruction, and that day shall utterly abolish your ordinances.
It is a day for rebuilding your walls, this day will your boundary will be extended.
12 And your cities shall be levelled, and parted among the Assyrians; and your strong cities shall be parted from Tyre 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 And the land shall be utterly desolate together with them that inhabit it, because of the fruit of their doings.
Though the land has become a desolation because of its inhabitants, because of their deeds.
14 Tend your people with your rod, the sheep of your inheritance, those that inhabit by themselves the thicket in the midst of Carmel: they shall feed in the land of Basan, and in the land of Galaad, 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 And according to the days of your departure out of Egypt shall you see marvelous [things].
as in the days when you came from Egypt, gave us wonders to see.
16 The nations shall see and be ashamed; and at all their might they shall lay their hands upon their mouth, their ears shall be deafened.
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 as serpents crawling on the earth, they shall be confounded in their holes; they shall be amazed at the Lord our God, and will be afraid 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 you, cancelling iniquities, and passing over the sins of the remnant of his inheritance? and he has not kept his anger for a testimony, for 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 and have mercy upon us; he will sink our iniquities, and they shall be cast into the depth of the sea, [even] all our sins.
He will tread under foot our iniquity; you will cast into the depths of the sea all our iniquities.
20 He shall give blessings truly to Jacob, and mercy to Abraam, as you sware to our fathers, according to the former days.
You will show faithfulness to Jacob, and loving kindness to Abraham, as you have sworn to our ancestors from the days of old.
