1Woe is me! for I have become like the gatherings of summer, like the gleanings of the vintage; there is no cluster to eat, no first-ripe fig my soul (nephesh) desires.
2The pious has perished from the land, and there is none upright among men (adam); they all lie in wait for blood, they hunt each man (ish) his brother with a net.
3Upon the evil are both hands to do it well; the prince asks, and the judge is for a reward; and the great man speaks the desire of his soul (nephesh); thus they weave it together.
4The best of them is like a brier, the most upright worse than a thorn hedge; the day of your watchmen, your visitation, has come; now shall be their confusion.
5Do not believe in a friend, do not trust in a companion; from her who lies in your bosom guard the doors of your mouth.
6For a son dishonors a father, a daughter rises against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man's (ish) enemies are the men (ish) of his own house.
7But as for me, I will look to YHWH; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.
8Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; though I have fallen, I shall rise; though I sit in darkness, YHWH is a light to me.
9I will bear the indignation of YHWH, because I have sinned against him, until he pleads my cause and executes my judgment (mishpat); he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall look upon his righteousness.
10And my enemy shall see, and shame shall cover her, who said to me, "Where is YHWH your God?" My eyes shall look upon her; now she shall be trodden down like the mire of the streets.
11A day for building your walls — in that day the statute (choq) shall be far removed.
12A day — and to you it shall come — from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, and from Egypt even to the River, and from sea to sea, and mountain to mountain.
13And the land shall be a desolation because of its inhabitants, from the fruit of their doings.
14Shepherd your people with your rod, the flock of your inheritance, dwelling alone in a forest in the midst of Carmel; let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of eternity (olam).
15As in the days of your coming forth from the land of Egypt, I will show him wonderful things.
16The nations shall see and be ashamed of all their might; they shall lay a hand upon the mouth, their ears shall be deaf.
17They shall lick dust (aphar) like the serpent; like crawling things of the earth they shall come trembling from their strongholds; to YHWH our God they shall be in dread, and they shall fear because of you.
18Who is a God like you, bearing iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, for he delights in mercy.
19He shall return, he shall have compassion on us; he will subdue our iniquities; and you will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
20You will give truth to Jacob, mercy to Abraham, which you swore to our fathers from the days of old.