1 Woe 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.
2 The godly man has 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.
3 That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asks, and the judge asks for a bribe; and the great man, he utters his evil desire: so they weave it together.
4 The best of them is like a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge: the day of your watchmen and your punishment comes; now shall be their perplexity.
5 Trust not in a friend, put not confidence in a companion: keep the doors of your mouth from her that lies in your bosom.
6 For the son dishonors the father, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man's enemies are the men of his own house.
7 Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.
8 Rejoice not against me, O my enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.
9 I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he pleads my cause, and executes justice for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness.
10 Then she that is my enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her who said unto me, Where is the LORD your God? my eyes shall behold her: now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets.
11 In the day that your walls are to be built, in that day shall your boundaries be far extended.
12 In that day also they shall come even to you 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 Nevertheless the land shall be desolate because of them that dwell in it, and for the fruit of their deeds.
14 Feed your people with your staff, the flock of your heritage, who dwell alone in the forest, in the midst of Carmel: let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.
15 As in the days of your coming out of the land of Egypt will I show unto them marvelous things.
16 The nations shall see and be ashamed 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 you.
18 Who is a God like unto you, who pardons iniquity, and passes by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retains not his anger forever, because he delights in mercy.
19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and you will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
20 You will show truth to Jacob, and mercy to Abraham, which you have sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.