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, 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 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 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 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!
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 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 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 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;
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, 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 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, for Yahweh, will watch, 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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 On the day for building thy walls, —on that day, far away shall be thy boundary:
It is a day for rebuilding your walls, this day will your boundary will be extended.
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:
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 Though the land become a desolation, because of them that dwell therein, —by reason of the fruit of their doings.
Though the land has become a desolation because of its inhabitants, because of their deeds.
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.
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 As in the days of thy coming forth out of the land of Egypt, will I shew him wonders.
as in the days when you came from Egypt, gave us wonders to see.
16 Nations, shall see, that they may turn pale at all their valour, —they shall lay hand on mouth, their ears, shall be silent:
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 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 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 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 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 again have compassion upon us, he will subdue our iniquities, —Thou wilt cast—into the depths of the sea—all their sins.
He will tread under foot our iniquity; you will cast into the depths of the sea all our iniquities.
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.
You will show faithfulness to Jacob, and loving kindness to Abraham, as you have sworn to our ancestors from the days of old.
