1 ¶ Woe is me! for I am like one who after the summer fruit is gathered, after gleaning the grape harvest: finds no clusters to eat: no first-ripe fig which my soul craves.

2 Godly men are extinct upon the earth: and there are none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; one is hunting the other with a net.

3 They eagerly reach out with both of their hands to do evil, ruler and judge alike ask for a bribe; and the rich man communicates his evil desire: so they plan it together.

4 The best of them is like a brier: the most upright is worse than a hedge of thorns: your day of punishment comes, O Lord, the day your watchmen foretold; now they will panic.

5 Do not rely on a friend, do not put your confidence in a close companion: watch what you say to the woman lying in your arms.

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 the members of his own family.

7 ¶ Therefore I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God who saves me: my God will hear me.

8 Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy: when I fall, I will arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light.

9 I will bear the LORD’S displeasure, because I have sinned against him, until he pleads my cause, and secures judgment for me: he will bring me out into the light, and I will see his righteousness.

10 Then my enemy will see it, and shame will cover those who said to me, Where is the LORD your God? my eyes will watch: when they are trampled on like mud in the streets.

11 A day will come for rebuilding your walls, a day when your border will be extended.

12 A day when people will come to you from Assyria, from the fortified cities, and from Egypt to the Euphrates, from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain.

13 Nevertheless the earth will be a desert to those who live in it, because of the things they do.

14 ¶ Shepherd your people with your rod, the flock that is your heritage, that lives apart in the woods of a dense forest: let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.

15 As in the days of their exodus from the land of Egypt, I will show them marvelous things.

16 The nations will see and feel ashamed despite all their might: let them put their hand over their mouth, let their ears be deaf.

17 Let them lick the dust like a serpent, let them crawl out of their holes like earthworms: they will be afraid of the LORD our God, and will tremble before him.

18 Who is a God like to you, who pardons sin, and passes by the rebellion of the remnant of his heritage? he does not remain angry forever, because he delights in mercy.

19 He will return, he will have compassion on us; he will triumph over our sins; and you will cast all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.

20 You will be faithful to Jacob, and show mercy to Abraham, as you promised our fathers with an oath long ago.