Micah 7

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.

Alas, I feel like the end of summer harvest, with no more fruits to pick. I yearn for the first taste of ripe fruit, but there's none left for me.

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.

The virtuous have vanished from the world; no one remains just. Everyone lies in wait to shed blood; they hunt down their own brothers like prey in a net.

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.

They eagerly commit wrongs, both the ruler and the judge seek bribes. The influential man voices his harmful intentions, and they all conspire in this.

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.

Even the finest among them is prickly as a thorn bush; the most virtuous, sharper than a hedge of thorns. The day of reckoning and judgment is coming; soon they will face their confusion.

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.

Don't trust a friend, and don't rely on a close companion. Guard what you say even to the one who lies in your arms.

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.

A son disrespects his father, a daughter rebels against her mother, a daughter-in-law defies her mother-in-law; one's greatest foes are often found within their own family.

Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.

I'll keep my eyes on the Lord, patiently waiting for my saving God. I trust that He will listen to me.

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.

Don't celebrate my downfall, enemy, for I will rise again. Even in my darkest moments, God will be my guiding light.

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.

I'll endure God's anger because I've wronged Him. But I trust He'll fight for me, judge me fairly, and guide me back to the light, where I'll witness His true goodness.

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.

The one who opposes me will witness it, and embarrassment will engulf her who questioned my faith in God. I will see her downfall, she will be reduced to nothing, like dirt on the streets.

In the day that thy walls are to be built, in that day shall the decree be far removed.

On the day your barriers rise, the rules that once bound you will fade away.

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.

On that day, he will reach out to you, crossing from Assyria, through the fortified cities and fortresses, across rivers, seas, and mountains.

Notwithstanding the land shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings.

Despite this, the land will become barren due to its inhabitants and their actions.

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.

Nurture your people, your cherished ones, who live alone in the forest, in the heart of Carmel. Let them find sustenance in Bashan and Gilead, just like in the good old days.

According to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt will I shew unto him marvellous things.

As the days you left Egypt, I will reveal to him amazing wonders.

The nations shall see and be confounded at all their might: they shall lay their hand upon their mouth, their ears shall be deaf.

The nations will see it and be put to shame, for all their power. They will cover their mouths in silence, and their ears will go deaf.

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.

Like a snake slithering in the dust, they will emerge from their hiding places, trembling like earthworms. They will be filled with awe and fear of the Lord our God, and because of you, they will be afraid.

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.

Who can compare to you, God, who forgives our mistakes and overlooks our wrongdoings? You don't hold onto your anger forever, because you find joy in showing us mercy.

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.

He will return, filled with empathy for us; he will conquer our wrongdoings, and you will toss our sins into the sea's abyss.

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

You will uphold your promises to Jacob, showing the same compassion to Abraham that you pledged to our ancestors long ago.