Micah 7

1 Misery is mine! Indeed, I am like one who gathers the summer fruits, as gleanings of the vineyard. There is no cluster of grapes to eat. My soul desires to eat the early fig.

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 godly man has perished out of the earth, and there is no one upright among men. They all lie in wait for blood; every man hunts 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 Their hands are on that which is evil to do it diligently. The ruler and judge ask for a bribe. The powerful man dictates the evil desire of his soul. Thus they conspire together.

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 like a brier. The most upright is worse than a thorn hedge. The day of your watchmen, even your visitation, has come; now is the time of 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 Don’t trust in a neighbor. Don’t put confidence in a friend. With the woman lying in your embrace, be careful of the words of your 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 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.

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 as for me, I will look to 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 Don’t rejoice against me, my enemy. When I fall, I will arise. When I sit in darkness, the LORD will 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 pleads my case and executes judgment for me. He will bring me out to the light. I will see 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 my enemy will see it, and shame will cover her who said to me, “Where is the LORD your God?” My eyes will see her. Now she will be trodden down like 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 A day to build your walls! In that day, he will extend your boundary.

It is a day for rebuilding your walls, this day will your boundary will be extended.

12 In that day they will come to you from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, and from Egypt even to the River, and from sea to sea, and 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 Yet the land will be desolate because of those who dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings.

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

14 Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your heritage, who dwell by themselves in a forest. Let them feed in the middle of fertile pasture land, 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 “As in the days of your coming out of the land of Egypt, I will show them marvelous things.”

as in the days when you came from Egypt, gave us wonders to see.

16 The nations will see and be ashamed of all their might. They will lay their hand on their mouth. Their ears will 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 will lick the dust like a serpent. Like crawling things of the earth, they will come trembling out of their dens. They will come with fear to the LORD our God, and will be afraid 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 you, who pardons iniquity, and passes over the disobedience of the remnant of his heritage? He doesn’t retain his anger forever, because he delights in loving kindness.

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 on us. He will tread our iniquities under foot. 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 give truth to Jacob, and mercy to Abraham, as you have sworn to 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.