Micah 7
1 My woe [is] to me, for I have been As gatherings of summer-fruit, As gleanings of harvest, There is no cluster to eat, The first-ripe fruit desired hath 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 Perished hath the kind out of the land, And upright among men — there are none, All of them for blood lie in wait, Each his brother they hunt [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 On the evil [are] both hands to do [it] well, The prince is asking — also the judge — for recompence, And the great — he is speaking the mischief of his soul, And 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 Their best one [is] as a brier, The upright one — than a thorn-hedge, The day of thy watchmen — Thy visitation — hath come. Now is 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 Believe not in a friend, trust not in a leader, From her who is lying in thy bosom keep the openings 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 a son is dishonouring a father, A daughter hath stood against her mother, A daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, The enemies of each [are] the men of his 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 And I — in Jehovah I do watch, I do wait for the God of my salvation, Hear me doth my God.
But I will look to the Lord, I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me!
8 Thou dost not rejoice over me, O mine enemy, When I have fallen, I have risen, When I sit in darkness Jehovah 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 Jehovah I do bear, For I have sinned against Him, Till that He doth plead my cause, And hath executed my judgment, He doth bring me forth to the light, I look on 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 see doth mine enemy, And cover her doth shame, Who saith unto me, 'Where [is] Jehovah thy God?' Mine eyes do look on her, Now she is for a treading-place, As mire of the out-places.
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 The day to build thy walls! That day — removed is the limit.
It is a day for rebuilding your walls, this day will your boundary will be extended.
12 That day — even unto thee it doth come in, From Asshur and the cities of the fortress, And from the fortress even unto the river, And from sea to sea, and mount to mount.
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 hath been for a desolation, Because of its inhabitants, Because of the fruit of their doings.
Though the land has become a desolation because of its inhabitants, because of their deeds.
14 Rule Thou Thy people with Thy rod, The flock of Thine inheritance, Dwelling alone [in] a forest in the midst of Carmel, They enjoy Bashan and Gilead as in 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 thy coming forth out of the land of Egypt, I do shew it wonderful things.
as in the days when you came from Egypt, gave us wonders to see.
16 See do nations, and they are ashamed of all their might, They lay a hand on the mouth, their ears are 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 lick dust as a serpent, as fearful things of earth, They tremble from their enclosures, Of Jehovah our God they are afraid, Yea, they are afraid 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 Thee? taking away iniquity, And passing by the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance, He hath not retained for ever His anger, Because He — He delighteth [in] 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 doth turn back, He pitieth us, He doth subdue our iniquities, And Thou castest 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 givest truth to Jacob, kindness to Abraham, That thou hast sworn to our fathers, from the days of antiquity!
You will show faithfulness to Jacob, and loving kindness to Abraham, as you have sworn to our ancestors from the days of old.
