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 they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grape gleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat; my soul desireth the first-ripe fig.

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 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.

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.

Their hands are upon that which is evil to do it diligently; the prince asketh, and the judge is ready for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth the evil desire of his soul: thus they weave it together.

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 as a brier; the most upright is worse than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen, even thy visitation, is come; now shall be their perplexity.

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 ye not in a neighbor; put ye not confidence in a friend; keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy 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 dishonoreth 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.

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 unto Jehovah; I will wait 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 mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, Jehovah will be a light unto 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 Jehovah, 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.

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 mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her who said unto me, Where is Jehovah thy God? Mine eyes shall see my desire upon her; now shall she 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.

A day for building thy walls! in that day shall 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 shall they come unto thee from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, and from Egypt even to the River, and 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 land be desolate because of them that dwell therein, 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.

Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thy heritage, which dwell solitarily, in the forest in the midst of Carmel: let them 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 thy coming forth out of the land of Egypt will I show unto them marvellous 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 hand upon their mouth; 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 close places; they shall come with fear unto Jehovah our God, and shall be afraid because of thee.

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 unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth over the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in lovingkindness.

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 upon us; he will tread our iniquities under foot; and thou wilt cast all their 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.

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