1 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. {when...: Heb. the gatherings of summer}
2 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. {good: or, godly, or, merciful}
3 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. {his...: Heb. the mischief of his soul}
4 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 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 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 Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.
8 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 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 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. {Then...: or, And thou wilt see her that is mine enemy, and cover her with shame} {shall she...: Heb. she shall be for a treading down}
11 {In} the day that thy walls are to be built, {in} that day shall the decree be far removed.
12 {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. {{and from} the fortified cities: or, even to the fortified cities}
13 Notwithstanding the land shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings. {Notwithstanding: or, After that it hath been}
14 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. {Feed: or, Rule}
15 According to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt will I shew unto him marvellous {things}.
16 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 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. {worms: or, creeping things}
18 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 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 Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, {and} the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.