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 good 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.

That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up.

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 sharper than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh; 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 friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: 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 dishonoureth 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

Therefore I will look unto the Lord; 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, the Lord shall 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 the Lord, 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 she that is mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where is the Lord thy God? mine eyes shall behold 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.

In the day that thy walls are to be built, 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 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

Notwithstanding the land shall 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 thine heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood, 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.”

According to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt will I shew unto him 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 confounded at 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, they shall move out of their holes like worms of the earth: they shall be afraid of the Lord our God, and shall fear 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 by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth 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 compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; 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 mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.