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.

Woe is me! For I am like those who gather summer fruits, Like those who glean vintage grapes; There is no cluster to eat Of the first-ripe fruit which my soul desires.

2 T he merciful man of the earth is missing: and there is no one upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt each man his brother with a net.

The faithful man has perished from 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.

3 T o complete the evil with their hands, the prince demands, and the judge judges for a reward; and the great man speaks the desires of his heart: and they confirm it.

That they may successfully do evil with both hands— The prince asks for gifts, The judge seeks a bribe, And the great man utters his evil desire; So they scheme together.

4 T he best of them is as a brier; the most upright as a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen, thy visitation, comes; now shall be their confusion.

The best of them is like a brier; The most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge; The day of your watchman and your punishment comes; Now shall be their perplexity.

5 D o not believe in a friend, do not trust in a prince; from her that lies at thy side, take care, open not thy mouth.

Do not trust in a friend; Do not put your confidence in a companion; Guard the doors of your mouth From her who lies in your bosom.

6 F or the son dishonours the father, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies are those of his own house.

For son dishonors father, Daughter rises against her mother, Daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; A man’s enemies are the men of his own household.

7 ¶ Therefore I will wait for the LORD; I will wait for the God of my saving health; my God will hear me.

Therefore I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; My God will hear me. Israel’s Confession and Comfort

8 D o not rejoice against me, O my enemy; for if I have fallen, I shall arise; if I sit in darkness, the LORD is my light.

Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; When I fall, I will arise; When I sit in darkness, The Lord will be a light to me.

9 I will bear the indignation of the LORD because I have sinned against him, until he has judged my cause and executed my judgment; he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness.

I will bear the indignation of the Lord, Because I have sinned against Him, Until He pleads my case And executes justice for me. He will bring me forth to the light; I will see His righteousness.

10 T hen she that is my enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her who said unto me, Where is the LORD thy God? my eyes shall behold her: now she shall be trodden down as the mire of the streets.

Then she who is my enemy will see, And shame will cover her who said to me, “Where is the Lord your God?” My eyes will see her; Now she will be trampled down Like mud in the streets.

11 I n the day that thy walls shall be built unto thee, in that day shall the decree of thy slavery be far removed.

In the day when your walls are to be built, In that day the decree shall go far and wide.

12 I n 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.

In that day they shall come to you From Assyria and the fortified cities, From the fortress to the River, From sea to sea, And mountain to mountain.

13 A nd the land with those that dwell therein shall be made desolate, for the fruit of their doings.

Yet the land shall be desolate Because of those who dwell in it, And for the fruit of their deeds. God Will Forgive Israel

14 ¶ Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell only in the mountain, in the midst of Carmel; let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the time of old.

Shepherd Your people with Your staff, The flock of Your heritage, Who dwell solitarily in a woodland, In the midst of Carmel; Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, As in days of old.

15 I will show you marvellous things as in the day when thou came out of Egypt.

“As in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt, I will show them wonders.”

16 T he Gentiles shall see and be ashamed at all thy mighty acts: they shall lay their hand upon their mouth, their ears shall become deaf.

The nations shall see and be ashamed of all their might; They shall put their hand over their mouth; Their ears shall be deaf.

17 T hey shall lick the dust like a serpent; as the serpents of the earth, they shall tremble in their holes; they shall be filled with fear of the LORD our God and shall also fear thee.

They shall lick the dust like a serpent; They shall crawl from their holes like snakes of the earth. They shall be afraid of the Lord our God, And shall fear because of You.

18 W ho is a God like unto thee that pardons iniquity, and passes over the rebellion with the remnant of his heritage? He did not retain his anger for ever because he delights in mercy.

Who is a God like You, Pardoning iniquity And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in mercy.

19 H e will turn again, he will have mercy on us; he will subdue our iniquities; and will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.

He will again have compassion on us, And will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins Into the depths of the sea.

20 T hou wilt perform the truth to Jacob and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the times of old.

You will give truth to Jacob And mercy to Abraham, Which You have sworn to our fathers From days of old.