The Prophet Acknowledges

Woe is me! For I am
Like the fruit pickers, like the (A)grape gatherers.
There is not a cluster of grapes to eat,
Or a (B)first-ripe fig which [a]I crave.
The [b]godly person has (C)perished from the land,
And there is no upright person among men.
All of them lie in wait for (D)bloodshed;
Each of them hunts the other with a (E)net.
Concerning evil, both hands do it (F)well.
The prince asks, also the judge, for a (G)bribe,
And a great man speaks the desire of his soul;
So they weave it together.
The best of them is like a (H)briar,
The most upright like a (I)thorn hedge.
The day when you post your watchmen,
Your (J)punishment will come.
Then their (K)confusion will occur.
Do not (L)trust in a neighbor;
Do not have confidence in a friend.
From her who lies in your bosom
Guard [c]your lips.
For (M)son treats father contemptuously,
Daughter rises up against her mother,
Daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
(N)A man’s enemies are the men of his own household.

God Is the Source of Salvation and Light

But as for me, I will (O)watch expectantly for the Lord;
I will (P)wait for the God of my salvation.
My (Q)God will hear me.
(R)Do not rejoice over me, O (S)my enemy.
Though I fall I will (T)rise;
Though I dwell in darkness, the Lord is a (U)light for me.

I will bear the indignation of the Lord
Because I have sinned against Him,
Until He (V)pleads my case and executes justice for me.
He will bring me out to the (W)light,
And I will see His [d](X)righteousness.
10 Then my enemy will see,
And shame will cover her who (Y)said to me,
“Where is the Lord your God?”
My eyes will look on her;
[e]At that time she will [f]be (Z)trampled down
Like mire of the streets.
11 It will be a day for (AA)building your walls.
On that day will your boundary be extended.
12 It will be a day when [g]they will (AB)come to you
From Assyria and the cities of Egypt,
From Egypt even to the [h]Euphrates,
Even from sea to sea and mountain to mountain.
13 And the earth will become (AC)desolate because of her inhabitants,
On account of the (AD)fruit of their deeds.

14 (AE)Shepherd Your people with Your (AF)scepter,
The flock of Your [i]possession
Which dwells by itself in the woodland,
In the midst of [j]a fruitful field.
Let them feed in (AG)Bashan and Gilead
(AH)As in the days of old.
15 “As in the days when you came out from the land of Egypt,
I will show [k](AI)you miracles.”
16 Nations (AJ)will see and be ashamed
Of all their might.
They will (AK)put their hand on their mouth,
Their ears will be deaf.
17 They will (AL)lick the dust like a serpent,
Like (AM)reptiles of the earth.
They will come (AN)trembling out of their [l]fortresses;
To the Lord our God they will come in (AO)dread
And they will be afraid before You.
18 Who is a God like You, who (AP)pardons iniquity
And passes over the rebellious act of the (AQ)remnant of His [m]possession?
He does not (AR)retain His anger forever,
Because He (AS)delights in [n]unchanging love.
19 He will again have compassion on us;
(AT)He will tread our iniquities under foot.
Yes, You will (AU)cast all [o]their sins
Into the depths of the sea.
20 You will give [p](AV)truth to Jacob
And [q]unchanging love to Abraham,
Which You (AW)swore to our forefathers
From the days of old.

Footnotes

  1. Micah 7:1 Lit my soul
  2. Micah 7:2 Or loyal
  3. Micah 7:5 Lit openings of your mouth
  4. Micah 7:9 I.e. right dealing
  5. Micah 7:10 Lit Now
  6. Micah 7:10 Lit become a trampled place
  7. Micah 7:12 Lit he
  8. Micah 7:12 Lit River
  9. Micah 7:14 Or inheritance
  10. Micah 7:14 Or Carmel
  11. Micah 7:15 Lit him
  12. Micah 7:17 Lit fastnesses
  13. Micah 7:18 Or inheritance
  14. Micah 7:18 Or lovingkindness
  15. Micah 7:19 Several ancient versions read our
  16. Micah 7:20 Or faithfulness
  17. Micah 7:20 Or lovingkindness