Micah, 7

1. Woe is me! for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grapegleanings of the vintage: [there is] no cluster to eat: my soul desired the firstripe fruit.

1. How I sorrow! For I am like the gatherer of summer fruit, like the gleaner of the vintage, when there are no grapes to eat, none of the early figs I crave.

2. The good [man] is perished out of the earth: and [there is] none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net.

2. The godly have vanished from the earth and not one upright man is to be found. All lie in ambush to shed blood, one hunts another with a net.

3. That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge [asketh] for a reward; and the great [man], he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up.

3. Their hands are skilled at doing evil. The official demands a bribe, the judge judges for a price and the mighty decides as he pleases.

4. The best of them [is] as a brier: the most upright [is sharper] than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen [and] thy visitation cometh; now shall be their perplexity.

4. Their kindness is like a brier, their justice worse than a thorn hedge. But the time of punishment has come, and now is the time of confusion.

5. Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.

5. Do not rely on a friend nor trust an intimate companion. Be guarded in speech with the woman who shares your bed.

6. 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 house.

6. For son treats father like a fool, daughter rebels against mother, daughter-in-law against mother-in-law. The enemies of each one are those of his household.

7. Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.

7. As for me, I will watch expectantly for Yahweh, waiting hopefully for the God who saves me. My God will hear me.

8. Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD [shall be] a light unto me.

8. Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; though I have fallen, I will rise again. Though I now dwell in darkness, Yahweh is my light.

9. I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, [and] I shall behold his righteousness.

9. I will bear the wrath of Yahweh - for I have sinned against him - while he examines my cause and defends my rights. Then he will bring me out to the light and I shall probe his justice.

10. Then [she that is] mine enemy shall see [it], and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where is the LORD thy God? mine eyes shall behold her: now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets.

10. Then my enemy shall also see and shame will cover her. Did she not say, "Where is Yahweh, your God?" My eyes, then, shall rejoice: See how she is trampled like mud in the street!

11. [In] the day that thy walls are to be built, [in] that day shall the decree be far removed.

11. The day is coming when your walls will be rebuilt and your boundaries extended.

12. [In] that day [also] he shall come even to thee from Assyria, and [from] the fortified cities, and from the fortress even to the river, and from sea to sea, and [from] mountain to mountain.

12. On that day they will come to you from Assyria to Egypt, from Tyre to the Euphrates, from sea to sea and from mountain to mountain,

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

13. while the earth will remain desolate because of its citizens and their deeds.

14. Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily [in] the wood, in the midst of Carmel: let them feed [in] Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.

14. Shepherd your people with your staff, shepherd the flock of your inheritance that dwells alone in the scrub, in the midst of a fertile land. Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead

15. According to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt will I shew unto him marvellous [things].

15. as in the days of old, in the days when you went out of Egypt. Show us your wonders.

16. The nations shall see and be confounded at all their might: they shall lay [their] hand upon [their] mouth, their ears shall be deaf.

16. On seeing this the nations will be put to shame in the midst of all their might. People will lay their hands upon their mouths and they will not believe the news.

17. They shall lick the dust like a serpent, they shall move out of their holes like worms of the earth: they shall be afraid of the LORD our God, and shall fear because of thee.

17. They shall lick the dust like snakes, like creatures that crawl upon the ground. They will come trembling out of their strongholds; they will be in fear of you.

18. Who [is] a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth [in] mercy.

18. Who is a god like you, who takes away guilt and pardons crime for the remnant of his inheritance? Who is like you whose anger does not last? For you delight in merciful forgiveness.

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

19. Once again you will show us your loving kindness and trample on our wrongs, casting all our sins into the depths of the sea.

20. Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, [and] the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.

20. Show faithfulness to Jacob, mercy to Abraham, as you have sworn to our ancestors from the days of old.