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 grapegleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat: my soul desired the firstripe fruit.

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 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.

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.

To 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.

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 as a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen, thy visitation, comes; now shall be their 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.

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

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 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.

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

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

Do 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.

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 has judged my cause and executed my judgment; 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 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.

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

In the day that thy walls shall be built unto thee, in that day shall the decree of thy slavery 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 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.

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

And the land with those that dwell therein shall be made desolate, 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 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.

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

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

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

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 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.

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 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.

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 mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the times of old.