1 I t is bad for me! For I am like those who pick fruit and gather grapes. There are no grapes to eat, or any of the early figs that I want so much.

Woe is me! For I am as when the summer fruits have been gathered, as when the vintage grapes have been gleaned and there is no cluster to eat, no first-ripe fig for which my appetite craves.

2 T here is not a God-like person left in the land. There is no good person among men. All of them lie in wait to kill. Each one hunts the other with a net.

The godly man has perished from the earth, and there is none upright among men. They all lie in wait for blood; each hunts his brother with a net.

3 B oth hands are very able in doing sinful things. The ruler and the judge ask for pay in secret to do what is wrong. The powerful man tells what he wants, and they all make plans together.

Both their hands are put forth and are upon what is evil to do it diligently; the prince and the judge ask for a bribe, and the great man utters his evil desire. Thus they twist between them.

4 T he best of them is like a thistle. The most honest of them is like a thorn bush. The day you have a watchman, you will be punished. Then their trouble will come.

The best of them is like a brier; the most upright or the straightest is like a thorn hedge. The day of your watchmen, even of judgment and your punishment, has come; now shall be their perplexity and confusion.

5 D o not trust a neighbor. Do not put trust in a friend. Be careful what you say even with her who lies in your arms.

Trust not in a neighbor; put no confidence in a friend. Keep the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your bosom.

6 F or a son does not honor his father. A daughter rises up against her mother. And a daughter-in-law turns against her mother-in-law. Those of a man’s own house hate him.

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 (members) of his own house.

7 B ut as for me, I will watch for the Lord. I will wait for the God Who saves me. My God will hear me. The Lord Saves

But as for me, I will look to the Lord and confident in Him I will keep watch; I will wait with hope and expectancy for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.

8 D o not have joy over me, you who hate me. When I fall, I will rise. Even though I am in darkness, the Lord will be my light.

Rejoice not against me, O my enemy! When I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light to me.

9 I will suffer under the Lord’s anger, because I have sinned against Him, until He speaks for me and does what is fair for me. He will bring me out to the light, and I will see His saving power.

I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against Him, until He pleads my cause and executes judgment for me. He will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold His righteous deliverance.

10 T hen the one who hated me will see, and shame will cover her who said to me, “Where is the Lord your God?” My eyes will look on her, and she will be crushed under foot like mud in the streets.

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 my desire upon her; now she will be trodden down as the mire of the streets.

11 I t will be a day for building your walls. At that time your land will be made larger.

In the day that your walls are to be built, in that day shall the boundary be far extended and the decree be far removed.

12 I n that day people will come to you from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, from Egypt to the Euphrates River, from sea to sea and from mountain to mountain.

In that day they will come to you from Assyria and from the cities of Matzor and from Egypt even to the river, from sea to sea and from mountain to mountain.

13 T he earth will be laid waste because of its people and the things they have done. The Lord’s Loving-Kindness for Israel

Yet shall the earth be desolate because of those who dwell in it, for the fruit of their doings.

14 S hepherd Your people with Your power. Take care of Your chosen flock which lives by itself in the woods, in a field of much fruit. Let them eat in Bashan and Gilead as in days long ago.

Rule and feed Your people with Your rod and scepter, the flock of Your inheritance who dwell alone in a forest in the midst of Carmel; they shall feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.

15 “ As in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt, I will show you powerful works.”

As in the days of your coming forth from the land of Egypt, I will show them marvelous things.

16 N ations will see and be ashamed of all their power. They will put their hands on their mouths, and will not be able to hear with their ears.

The nations shall see and be ashamed of all their might. They shall lay their hands upon their mouths in consternation; their ears shall be deaf.

17 T hey will eat the dust like a snake, like animals that move along the ground. They will come out of their strong-places shaking with fear. They will come in much fear to the Lord our God, and they will be afraid of You.

They shall lick the dust like a serpent; like crawling things of the earth they shall come trembling out of their strongholds and close places. They shall turn and come with fear and dread to the Lord our God and shall be afraid and stand in awe because of You.

18 W ho is a God like You, Who forgives sin and the wrong-doing of Your chosen people who are left? He does not stay angry forever because He is happy to show loving-kindness.

Who is a God like You, Who forgives iniquity and passes over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He retains not His anger forever, because He delights in mercy and loving-kindness.

19 H e will again have loving-pity on us. He will crush our sins under foot. Yes, You will throw all our sins into the deep sea.

He will again have compassion on us; He will subdue and tread underfoot our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.

20 Y ou will be true to Jacob and show loving-kindness to Abraham, as You promised our fathers in days long ago.

You will show Your faithfulness and perform the sure promise to Jacob and loving-kindness and mercy to Abraham, as You have sworn to our fathers from the days of old.