Micah 7

1 Alas for me! for I am become as gatherings of summer fruit, as gleaning-grapes in harvest, there is no cluster to eat, the first ripe fruit, my soul, craved.

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; there is no early fruit [which] my soul desired.

2 Perished is the man of lovingkindness out of the earth, and, upright among men, is there none, —they all, for bloodshed, lie in wait. Every man—for his brother, do they hunt as for one devoted to destruction.

The godly [man] hath perished out of the land, and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood, they hunt every man his brother with a net.

3 Of wickedness with both hands to make sure, the ruler, doth make demand—and the judge—for a recompense, —and, as for the great man, he, is putting into words the desire of his soul, So have they woven the net!

Both hands are for evil, to do it well. The prince asketh, and the judge [is there] for a reward; and the great [man] uttereth his soul's greed: and [together] they combine it.

4 The best of them, is as a sharp briar, and, the most upright, worse than a thorn hedge, The day of thy watchmen—of thy visitation, hath come, Now, shall be their confusion!

The best of them is as a briar; the most upright, [worse] than a thorn-fence. The day of thy watchmen, thy visitation is come; now shall be their perplexity.

5 Do not trust in a friend, do not put confidence in an associate, —from her that lieth in thy bosom, keep thou the doors of thy mouth;

Believe ye not in a companion, put not confidence in a familiar friend: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.

6 For, the son, treateth as foolish, the father, and, the daughter, riseth up against, her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, —The foes of a man, are the men of his own house.

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 household.

7 But, I, for Yahweh, will watch, I will wait for the God of my salvation, —My God, will hear me.

But as for me, I will look unto Jehovah; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.

8 Do not rejoice, O mine enemy, against me, Though I fall, I shall rise again! Though I sit in darkness, Yahweh, is a light to me.

Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: though I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, Jehovah shall be a light unto me.

9 The indignation of Yahweh, will I bear, for I have sinned against him, —until he take up my controversy, then will he do me justice, he will bring me forth to the light, I shall behold his righteousness.

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

10 So shall she who had been mine enemy fear, and shame, shall cover her, who used to say unto me—Where is Yahweh thy God? Mine own eyes, shall look upon her, Now, shall she become one to he trodden down, like the mire of the lanes.

And mine enemy shall see [it], and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where is Jehovah thy God? Mine eyes shall behold her; now shall she be trodden down, as the mire of the streets.

11 On the day for building thy walls, —on that day, far away shall be thy boundary:

In the day when thy walls shall be built, on that day shall the established limit recede.

12 The very day, that, against thee, shall one come from Assyria, and [from] the cities of Egypt; yea from Egypt, even unto the River, and from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain:

In that day they shall come to thee from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, and from Egypt to the river, and from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain.

13 Though the land become a desolation, because of them that dwell therein, —by reason of the fruit of their doings.

But the land shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings.

14 Shepherd thou thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine inheritance, Dwell thou alone, a jungle in the midst of a fruitful field, —Let them feed in Bashan and in Gilead, as in the days of age-past times.

Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine inheritance, dwelling alone 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, will I shew him wonders.

— As in the days of thy coming forth out of the land of Egypt, will I shew them marvellous things.

16 Nations, shall see, that they may turn pale at all their valour, —they shall lay hand on mouth, their ears, shall be silent:

— The nations shall see, and be ashamed for all their might: they shall lay [their] hand upon [their] mouth, their ears shall be deaf.

17 They shall lick the dust like the serpent, Like the crawlers of the earth, shall they come quaking out of their fastnesses, —Towards Yahweh our God, shall they pay adoration, and shall fear because of thee.

They shall lick dust like the serpent; like crawling things of the earth, they shall come trembling forth from their close places. They shall turn with fear to Jehovah our God, and shall be afraid because of thee.

18 Who is a GOD like unto thee, taking away the iniquity—and passing over the transgression—of the remnant of his inheritance? He hath not held fast, perpetually, his anger, for, one who delighteth in lovingkindness, is he!

Who is a God like unto thee, that forgiveth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? He retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in loving-kindness.

19 He will again have compassion upon us, he will subdue our iniquities, —Thou wilt cast—into the depths of the sea—all their sins.

He will yet again have compassion on us, he will tread under foot our iniquities: and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

20 Thou wilt grant—the faithfulness to Jacob, the lovingkindness to Abraham, —which thou didst swear to our fathers, from the days of ancient time.

Thou wilt perform truth to Jacob, loving-kindness to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers, from the days of old.