1 W oe 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 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 hat 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 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 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 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 T herefore 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 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 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 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 when your walls are to be built, In that day the decree shall go far and wide.

12 I n 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 Y et the land shall be desolate Because of those who dwell in it, And for the fruit of their deeds. God Will Forgive Israel

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

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

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