Micah 7

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 How wretched I am, a harvester in summer time, like a gleaner at the vintage: not a single cluster to eat,none of those early figs I love!	1 Alas! I am as when the fruit is gathered, as when the vines have been gleaned; There is no cluster to eat, no early fig that I crave.
2 The faithful have vanished from the land: there is no one honest left. Al of them are on the alert forblood, every man hunting his brother with a net.	2 The faithful are gone from the earth, among men the upright are no more! They all lie in wait to shed blood, each one ensnares the other.
3 Their hands are adept at wrong-doing: the official makes his demands, the judge gives judgement for abribe, the man in power pronounces as he pleases.	3 Their hands succeed at evil; the prince makes demands, The judge is had for a price, The great man speaks as he pleases,
4 The best of them is like a briar, the most honest of them like a thorn-hedge. Now from the north theirpunishment approaches! That wil be when they are confounded!	4 The best of them is like a brier, the most upright like a thorn hedge. The day announced by your watchmen! your punishment has come; now is the time of your confusion.
5 Trust no neighbour, put no confidence in a friend; do not open your mouth to the wife who shares yourbed.	5 Put no trust in a friend, have no confidence in a companion; Against her who lies in your bosom guard the portals of your mouth.
6 For son insults father, daughter rebels against mother, daughter-in-law against mother-in-law; aperson's enemies come from within the household itself.	6 For the son dishonors his father, the daughter rises up against her mother, The daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, and a man's enemies are those of his household.
7 But I shall look to Yahweh, my hope is in the God who will save me; my God will hear me.	7 But as for me, I will look to the LORD, I will put my trust in God my savior; my God will hear me!
8 Do not gloat over me, my enemy: though I have fal en, I shal rise; though I live in darkness, Yahweh ismy light.	8 Rejoice not over me, O my enemy! though I have fallen, I will arise; though I sit in darkness, the LORD is my light.
9 I must endure Yahweh's anger for I have sinned against him, until he takes up my cause and rights mywrongs; he wil bring me out into the light, and then I shal contemplate his saving justice.	9 The wrath of the LORD I will endure because I have sinned against him, Until he takes up my cause, and establishes my right. He will bring me forth to the light; I will see his justice.
10 When my enemy sees this, she wil be covered with shame, having sneered, 'Where is Yahweh yourGod?' This time, I shall be watching as she is trampled underfoot like mud in the streets.	10 When my enemy sees this, shame shall cover her: She who said to me, "Where is the LORD, thy God?" My eyes shall see her downfall; now shall she be trampled underfoot, like the mire in the streets.
11 That wil be the day for rebuilding your walls! The day for expanding your frontiers!	11 It is the day for building your walls; on that day the boundary shall be taken away.
12 The day when others come to you al the way from Assyria, from Egypt, from Tyre and al the way fromthe Euphrates, from sea to sea, from the mountains to the mountains!	12 It is the day; and they shall come to you from Assyria and from Egypt, From Tyre even to the River, from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain;
13 The earth wil become a desert by reason of its inhabitants, in return for what they have done.	13 And the land shall be a waste because of its citizens, as a result of their deeds.
14 With shepherd's crook lead your people to pasture, the flock that is your heritage, living confined in aforest with meadow land al round. Let them graze in Bashan and Gilead as in the days of old!	14 Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your inheritance, That dwells apart in a woodland, in the midst of Carmel. Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old;
15 As in the days when you came out of Egypt, grant us to see wonders!	15 As in the days when you came from the land of Egypt, show us wonderful signs.
16 The nations wil see and be confounded in spite of al their power; they wil put their hands over theirmouths, their ears wil be deafened.	16 The nations shall behold and be put to shame, in spite of all their strength; They shall put their hands over their mouths; their ears shall become deaf.
17 They wil lick the dust like snakes, like reptiles that crawl on the earth. They wil creep trembling out oftheir lairs, in terror before you.	17 They shall lick the dust like the serpent, like reptiles on the ground; They shall come quaking from their fastnesses, trembling in fear of you (the LORD, our God).
18 What god can compare with you for pardoning guilt and for overlooking crime? He does not harbouranger for ever, since he delights in showing faithful love.	18 Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt and pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance; Who does not persist in anger forever, but delights rather in clemency,
19 Once more have pity on us, tread down our faults; throw al our sins to the bottom of the sea.	19 And will again have compassion on us, treading underfoot our guilt? You will cast into the depths of the sea all our sins;
20 Grant Jacob your faithfulness, and Abraham your faithful love, as you swore to our ancestors from thedays of long ago.	20 You will show faithfulness to Jacob, and grace to Abraham, As you have sworn to our fathers from days of old.