1 Woe is me, for I am as the sommer gatherings, and as the grapes of the vintage: there is no cluster to eate: my soule desired the first ripe fruites. 2 The good man is perished out of the earth, and there is none righteous among men: they all lye in wayte for blood: euery man hunteth his brother with a net. 3 To make good for the euil of their hands, the prince asked, and the iudge iudgeth for a reward: therefore the great man he speaketh out the corruption of his soule: so they wrapt it vp. 4 The best of them is as a brier, and the most righteous of them is sharper then a thorne hedge: the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation commeth: then shalbe their confusion. 5 Trust ye not in a friend, neither put ye confidence in a counseller: keepe the doores of thy mouth from her that lyeth in thy bosome. 6 For the sonne reuileth the father: ye daughter riseth vp against her mother: the daughter in lawe against her mother in lawe, and a mans enemies are the men of his owne house. 7 Therefore I will looke vnto the Lord: I will waite for God my Sauiour: my God will heare me. 8 Reioyce not against me, O mine enemie: though I fall, I shall arise: when I shall sit in darkenesse, the Lord shalbe a light vnto me. 9 I will beare the wrath of the Lord because I haue sinned against him, vntill he pleade my cause, and execute iudgement for me: then will he bring me foorth to the light, and I shall see his righteousnesse. 10 Then she that is mine enemie, shall looke vpon it, and shame shall couer her, which said vnto me, Where is the Lord thy God? Mine eyes shall behold her: now shall she be troden downe as the myre of the streetes. 11 This is ye day, that thy walles shalbe built: this day shall driue farre away the decree. 12 In this day also they shall come vnto thee from Asshur, and from the strong cities, and from the strong holdes euen vnto the riuer, and from Sea to Sea, and from mountaine to mountaine. 13 Notwithstanding, the lande shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein, and for the fruites of their inuentions. 14 Feed thy people with thy rod, the flocke of thine heritage (which dwell solitarie in the wood) as in the middes of Carmel: let them feede in Bashan and Gilead, as in olde time. 15 According to the dayes of thy comming out of the lande of Egypt, will I shewe vnto him marueilous things. 16 The nations shall see, and be confounded for all their power: they shall lay their hande vpon their mouth: their eares shall be deafe. 17 They shall licke the dust like a serpent: they shall mooue out of their holes like wormes: they shalbe afraide of the Lord our God, and shall feare because of thee. 18 Who is a God like vnto thee, that taketh away iniquitie, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage! He reteineth not his wrath for euer, because mercie pleaseth him. 19 He will turne againe, and haue compassion vpon vs: he will subdue our iniquities, and cast all their sinnes into the bottome of the sea. 20 Thou wilt perfourme thy trueth to Iaakob, and mercie to Abraham, as thou hast sworne vnto our fathers in olde time.
Israel's Moral Corruption
1 It's hopeless! I am like a hungry person who finds no fruit left on the trees and no grapes on the vines. All the grapes and all the tasty figs have been picked. 2 There is not an honest person left in the land, no one loyal to God. Everyone is waiting for a chance to commit murder. Everyone hunts down their own people. 3 They are all experts at doing evil. Officials and judges ask for bribes. The influential people tell them what they want, and so they scheme together. 4 Even the best and most honest of them are as worthless as weeds.
The day has come when God will punish the people, as he warned them through their watchmen, the prophets. Now they are in confusion. 5 Don't believe your neighbor or trust your friend. Be careful what you say even to your husband or wife. 6 In these times sons treat their fathers like fools, daughters oppose their mothers, and young women quarrel with their mothers-in-law; your enemies are the members of your own family.
7 But I will watch for the Lord; I will wait confidently for God, who will save me. My God will hear me.
The Lord Brings Salvation
8 Our enemies have no reason to gloat over us. We have fallen, but we will rise again. We are in darkness now, but the Lord will give us light. 9 We have sinned against the Lord, so now we must endure his anger for a while. But in the end he will defend us and right the wrongs that have been done to us. He will bring us out to the light; we will live to see him save us. 10 Then our enemies will see this and be disgraced—the same enemies who taunted us by asking, “Where is the Lord your God?” We will see them defeated, trampled down like mud in the streets.
11 People of Jerusalem, the time to rebuild the city walls is coming. At that time your territory will be enlarged. 12 Your people will return to you from everywhere—from Assyria in the east, from Egypt in the south, from the region of the Euphrates River, from distant seas and far-off mountains. 13 But the earth will become a desert because of the wickedness of those who live on it.
The Lord's Compassion on Israel
14 Be a shepherd to your people, Lord, the people you have chosen. Although they live apart in the wilderness, there is fertile land around them. Let them go and feed in the rich pastures of Bashan and Gilead, as they did long ago.
15 Work miracles for us, Lord, as you did in the days when you brought us out of Egypt. 16 The nations will see this and be frustrated in spite of all their strength. In dismay they will close their mouths and cover their ears. 17 They will crawl in the dust like snakes; they will come from their fortresses, trembling and afraid. They will turn in fear to the Lord our God.
18 There is no other god like you, O Lord; you forgive the sins of your people who have survived. You do not stay angry forever, but you take pleasure in showing us your constant love. 19 You will be merciful to us once again. You will trample our sins underfoot and send them to the bottom of the sea! 20 You will show your faithfulness and constant love to your people, the descendants of Abraham and of Jacob, as you promised our ancestors long ago.