1Woe 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 desired the first ripe fruit.
2The 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.
3That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man uttereth his wicked desire; so they wrap it up.
4The best of them is as a brier; the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge. The day of thy watchman and thy visitation cometh; now shall be their perplexity.
5Trust 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.
6For 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.
7Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.
8Rejoice not over me, O mine enemy; when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.
9I 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.
10Then she that is mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her that 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.
11In that day thy walls are to be built; in that day shall the decree be far removed.
12In 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.
13Notwithstanding, the land shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein, because of the fruit of their doings.
14Rule Thy people with Thy rod, the flock of Thine heritage, who 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 of thy coming out of the land of Egypt, will I show unto them marvelous things."
16The nations shall see and be confounded at all their might; they shall lay their hand upon their mouth; their ears shall be deaf.
17They 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.
18Who is a God like unto Thee, who 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.
19He 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.
20Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob and the mercy to Abraham, which Thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.