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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

The Prophet Acknowledges Injustice

Woe is me (judgment is coming)! For I am
Like one who gathers the summer fruits, like one who gleans the vintage grapes.
There is not a cluster of grapes to eat,
No first-ripe fig which my appetite craves.

The godly person [who is faithful and loyal to God] has perished from the earth,
And there is no upright person [one with good character and moral integrity] among men.
They all lie in wait to shed blood;
Each hunts the other with a net.

Concerning evil, both of their hands pursue it and do it diligently and thoroughly;
The prince asks, also the judge, for a bribe,
And a great man speaks the [evil] desire of his soul.
So they twist the course of justice between them.

The best of them is [injurious] like a briar;
The most upright is [prickly] like a thorn hedge.
The day of your watchmen [that is, the time predicted by the prophets]
And your punishment comes;
Now shall be their confusion.

Do not trust in a neighbor [because of the moral corruption in the land];
Do not have confidence in a friend.
Guard the doors of your mouth
From her who lies in your bosom.(A)

For the son dishonors the father and treats him contemptuously,
The daughter rises up [in hostility] against her mother,
The daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
A man’s enemies are the men (members) of his own household.(B)

God Is the Source of Salvation and Light


But as for me, I will look expectantly for the Lord and with confidence in Him I will keep watch;
I will wait [with confident expectation] for the God of my salvation.
My God will hear me.

Do not rejoice over me [amid my tragedies], O my enemy!
Though I fall, I will rise;
Though I sit in the darkness [of distress], the Lord is a light for me.


I will bear the indignation and wrath of the Lord
Because I have sinned against Him,
Until He pleads my case and executes judgment for me.
He will bring me out to the light,
And I will behold His [amazing] righteousness and His remarkable deliverance.(C)
10 
Then my enemy [all the pagan nations] shall see it,
And shame [for despising the Lord] will cover her who said to me,
“Where is the Lord your God?”
My eyes will look on her [with satisfaction at her judgment];
Now she (unbelievers) will be trampled down
Like mud of the streets.
11 
It shall be a day for building your walls,
On that day the boundary [of Israel] shall be [greatly] extended.(D)
12 
It shall be a day when [a]the Gentiles will come to you
From Assyria and from the cities of Egypt,
And from Egypt even to the river Euphrates,
From sea to sea and from mountain to mountain.
13 
Yet the earth [beyond the land of Israel] shall become desolate because of those who dwell in it,
Because of the fruit of their deeds.

14 
Shepherd and rule Your people with Your scepter [of blessing],
The flock of Your inheritance and Your possession
Which dwells alone [separate and secure from attack] in the forest,
In the midst of a garden land.
Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead
As in the days of old [the days of Moses and Elijah].
15 
“As in the days when you came out from the land of Egypt,
I shall show you marvelous and miraculous things.”
16 
The [pagan] nations shall see [God’s omnipotence in delivering Israel] and be ashamed
Of all their might [which cannot be compared to His].
They shall put their hand on their mouth [in silent astonishment];
Their ears shall be deaf.
17 
They shall lick the dust like a serpent;
Like crawling things of the earth
They shall come trembling out of their fortresses and hiding places.
They shall turn and come with fear and dread to the Lord our God
And they shall be afraid and stand in awe before You [O Lord].(E)
18 
Who is a God like You, who forgives wickedness
And passes over the rebellious acts of the remnant of His possession?
He does not retain His anger forever,
Because He [constantly] delights in mercy and lovingkindness.
19 
He shall again have compassion on us;
He will subdue and tread underfoot our wickedness [destroying sin’s power].
Yes, You will cast all our sins
Into the depths of the sea.(F)
20 
You shall give truth to Jacob
And lovingkindness and mercy to Abraham,
As You have sworn to our forefathers
From the days of old.(G)

Footnotes

  1. Micah 7:12 Lit he.

Lamento por la corrupción de Israel

¡Ay de mí!, porque soy
Como los recogedores de frutos de verano, como los rebuscadores en la vendimia(A).
No hay racimo de uvas que comer,
Ni higo temprano que tanto deseo(B).
Ha desaparecido el bondadoso de la tierra(C),
Y no hay ninguno recto entre los hombres.
Todos acechan para derramar sangre(D),
Unos a otros se echan la red(E).
Para el mal(F) las dos manos son diestras.
El príncipe pide, y también el juez, una recompensa,
El grande habla de lo que desea su alma,
Y juntos lo traman(G).
El mejor de ellos es como un zarzal,
Y el más recto como un seto de espinos(H).
El día que pongas tus centinelas,
Tu castigo llegará(I).
¡Entonces será su confusión(J)!
No se fíen del vecino,
Ni confíen en el amigo(K).
De la que reposa en tu seno,
Guarda tus labios.
Porque el hijo trata con desdén al padre,
La hija se levanta contra la madre,
Y la nuera contra su suegra(L);
Los enemigos del hombre son los de su propia casa(M).

Dios, fuente de luz y salvación

Pero yo pondré mis ojos(N) en el Señor,
Esperaré en el Dios de mi salvación(O).
Mi Dios me oirá(P).
No te alegres(Q) de mí, enemiga mía(R).
Aunque caiga, me levantaré(S),
Aunque more en tinieblas, el Señor es mi luz(T).

La indignación del Señor soportaré,
Porque he pecado contra Él,
Hasta que defienda mi causa(U) y establezca mi derecho.
Él me sacará a la luz(V),
Y yo veré Su justicia(W).
10 Entonces mi enemiga lo verá,
Y se cubrirá de vergüenza la que me decía:
«¿Dónde está el Señor tu Dios(X)?».
Mis ojos la contemplarán;
Entonces será pisoteada
Como el lodo de las calles(Y).
11 Viene el día para la edificación de tus muros(Z);
Aquel día se extenderán tus límites.
12 Viene el día cuando ellos vendrán hasta ti
Desde Asiria y las ciudades de Egipto(AA);
Desde Egipto hasta el Río[a],
De mar a mar y de monte a monte.
13 Y la tierra será desolada a causa de sus habitantes(AB),
Por el fruto de sus obras(AC).

14 Pastorea a Tu pueblo(AD) con Tu cayado(AE),
El rebaño de Tu heredad,
Que mora solo en el bosque,
En medio de un campo fértil.
Que se apacienten en Basán y Galaad(AF)
Como en los días de antaño(AG).
15 «Como en los días de tu salida de la tierra de Egipto,
Te mostraré milagros(AH)».
16 Verán las naciones y se avergonzarán(AI)
De todo su poderío;
Se pondrán la mano sobre la boca(AJ),
Sus oídos se ensordecerán.
17 Lamerán el polvo(AK) como la serpiente,
Como los reptiles de la tierra(AL).
Saldrán temblando de sus fortalezas(AM),
Al Señor nuestro Dios vendrán llenos de miedo,
Y temerán delante de ti(AN).
18 ¿Qué Dios hay como Tú, que perdona la iniquidad(AO)
Y pasa por alto la rebeldía del remanente de su heredad(AP)?
No persistirá en Su ira para siempre(AQ),
Porque se complace en la misericordia(AR).
19 Volverá a compadecerse de nosotros,
Eliminará[b] nuestras iniquidades(AS).
Sí, arrojarás a las profundidades del mar
Todos nuestros pecados(AT).
20 Otorgarás a Jacob la verdad
Y a Abraham(AU) la misericordia,
Las cuales juraste a nuestros padres(AV)
Desde los días de antaño.

Footnotes

  1. Miqueas 7:12 I.e. Éufrates.
  2. Miqueas 7:19 O Pisoteará.