1 Ai de mim! Porque estou como quando são colhidas as frutas do verão, como os rabiscos da vindima: não há cacho de uvas para chupar, nem figos temporãos que a minha alma deseja. 2 Pereceu da terra o piedoso, e não há entre os homens um que seja reto; todos espreitam para derramarem sangue; cada um caça a seu irmão com rede. 3 As suas mãos estão sobre o mal e o fazem diligentemente; o príncipe exige condenação, o juiz aceita suborno, o grande fala dos maus desejos de sua alma, e, assim, todos eles juntamente urdem a trama. 4 O melhor deles é como um espinheiro; o mais reto é pior do que uma sebe de espinhos. É chegado o dia anunciado por tuas sentinelas, o dia do teu castigo; aí está a confusão deles. 5 Não creiais no amigo, nem confieis no companheiro. Guarda a porta de tua boca àquela que reclina sobre o teu peito. 6 Porque o filho despreza o pai, a filha se levanta contra a mãe, a nora, contra a sogra; os inimigos do homem são os da sua própria casa.

7 Eu, porém, olharei para o Senhor e esperarei no Deus da minha salvação; o meu Deus me ouvirá.

8 Ó inimiga minha, não te alegres a meu respeito; ainda que eu tenha caído, levantar-me-ei; se morar nas trevas, o Senhor será a minha luz. 9 Sofrerei a ira do Senhor, porque pequei contra ele, até que julgue a minha causa e execute o meu direito; ele me tirará para a luz, e eu verei a sua justiça. 10 A minha inimiga verá isso, e a ela cobrirá a vergonha, a ela que me diz: Onde está o Senhor, teu Deus? Os meus olhos a contemplarão; agora, será pisada aos pés como a lama das ruas. 11 No dia da reedificação dos teus muros, nesse dia, serão os teus limites removidos para mais longe. 12 Nesse dia, virão a ti, desde a Assíria até às cidades do Egito, e do Egito até ao rio Eufrates, e do mar até ao mar, e da montanha até à montanha. 13 Todavia, a terra será posta em desolação, por causa dos seus moradores, por causa do fruto das suas obras.

14 Apascenta o teu povo com o teu bordão, o rebanho da tua herança, que mora a sós no bosque, no meio da terra fértil; apascentem-se em Basã e Gileade, como nos dias de outrora. 15 Eu lhe mostrarei maravilhas, como nos dias da tua saída da terra do Egito. 16 As nações verão isso e se envergonharão de todo o seu poder; porão a mão sobre a boca, e os seus ouvidos ficarão surdos. 17 Lamberão o pó como serpentes; como répteis da terra, tremendo, sairão dos seus esconderijos e, tremendo, virão ao Senhor, nosso Deus; e terão medo de ti.

18 Quem, ó Deus, é semelhante a ti, que perdoas a iniquidade e te esqueces da transgressão do restante da tua herança? O Senhor não retém a sua ira para sempre, porque tem prazer na misericórdia. 19 Tornará a ter compaixão de nós; pisará aos pés as nossas iniquidades e lançará todos os nossos pecados nas profundezas do mar. 20 Mostrarás a Jacó a fidelidade e a Abraão, a misericórdia, as quais juraste a nossos pais, desde os dias antigos.

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 desireth the first-ripe fig. 2 The godly man is 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 Their hands are upon that which is evil to do it diligently; the prince asketh, and the judge is ready for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth the evil desire of his soul: thus they weave it together. 4 The best of them is as a brier; the most upright is worse than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen, even thy visitation, is come; now shall be their perplexity. 5 Trust ye not in a neighbor; put ye not confidence in a friend; keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom. 6 For the son dishonoreth the father, the daughter riseth 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 But as for me, I will look unto Jehovah; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me. 8 Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, Jehovah will be a light unto me. 9 I will bear the indignation of Jehovah, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness. 10 Then mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her who said unto me, Where is Jehovah thy God? Mine eyes shall see my desire upon her; now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets. 11 A day for building thy walls! in that day shall the decree be far removed. 12 In that day shall they come unto thee from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, and from Egypt even to the River, and from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain. 13 Yet shall the land be desolate because of them that dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings.

14 Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thy heritage, which dwell solitarily, 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 thy coming forth out of the land of Egypt will I show unto them marvellous things. 16 The nations shall see and be ashamed of 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; like crawling things of the earth they shall come trembling out of their close places; they shall come with fear unto Jehovah our God, and shall be afraid because of thee.

18 Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth over the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in lovingkindness. 19 He will again have compassion upon us; he will tread our iniquities under foot; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. 20 Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the lovingkindness to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.

1 What misery is mine! I am like one who gathers summer fruit at the gleaning of the vineyard; there is no cluster of grapes to eat, none of the early figs that I crave.

2 The faithful have been swept from the land; not one upright person remains. Everyone lies in wait to shed blood; they hunt each other with nets.

3 Both hands are skilled in doing evil; the ruler demands gifts, the judge accepts bribes, the powerful dictate what they desire — they all conspire together.

4 The best of them is like a brier, the most upright worse than a thorn hedge. The day God visits you has come, the day your watchmen sound the alarm. Now is the time of your confusion.

5 Do not trust a neighbor; put no confidence in a friend. Even with the woman who lies in your embrace guard the words of your lips.

6 For a son dishonors his father, a daughter rises up against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law — a man's enemies are the members of his own household.

7 But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.

8 Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light.

9 Because I have sinned against him, I will bear the LORD's wrath, until he pleads my case and upholds my cause. He will bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness.

10 Then my enemy will see it and will be covered with shame, she who said to me, "Where is the LORD your God?" My eyes will see her downfall; even now she will be trampled underfoot like mire in the streets.

11 The day for building your walls will come, the day for extending your boundaries.

12 In that day people will come to you from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, even from Egypt to the Euphrates and from sea to sea and from mountain to mountain.

13 The earth will become desolate because of its inhabitants, as the result of their deeds.

14 Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your inheritance, which lives by itself in a forest, in fertile pasturelands. "Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead as in days long ago.

15 "As in the days when you came out of Egypt, I will show them my wonders."

16 Nations will see and be ashamed, deprived of all their power. They will put their hands over their mouths and their ears will become deaf.

17 They will lick dust like a snake, like creatures that crawl on the ground. They will come trembling out of their dens; they will turn in fear to the LORD our God and will be afraid of you.

18 Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.

19 You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.

20 You will be faithful to Jacob, and show love to Abraham, as you pledged on oath to our ancestors in days long ago.