1 Alas for me! I am like someone after the summer fruit is picked, after the grapes are gleaned: not a cluster left to eat, not one early fig, though I long for it.
2 The faithful have vanished from the land; not one upright person is left among people. All of them lurk to shed blood; each stalks his brother with a net.
3 Both hands are set on evil, to do it thoroughly: the official makes demands, the judge asks for a payoff, and the powerful man voices whatever his soul craves; so together they twist it.
4 The best among them is like a bramble, the most upright worse than a hedge of thorns. The day your watchmen spoke of, your day of reckoning, has arrived; now their bewilderment is upon them.
5 Do not believe a neighbor, do not rely on a close friend; keep the door of your lips shut even to the woman who lies in your arms.
6 For son despises father, daughter stands up against mother, daughter-in-law against mother-in-law; a man's enemies are the members of his own household.
7 But I will keep watch for the LORD; I will wait for the God who saves me; my God will listen to me.
8 Do not gloat over me, my enemy; though I have fallen, I will get up; though I sit in the dark, the LORD is my light.
9 The LORD's anger I will endure, since I have sinned against him, until he takes up my case and secures justice for me. He will lead me out into the light, and I will see his righteousness.
10 My enemy will see it, and shame will wrap her who kept saying to me, "Where is he, the LORD your God?" My eyes will gaze at her; she will then be trodden down like mud in the streets.
11 The day for rebuilding your walls is coming! On that day your border will be pushed far out.
12 That will be the day when people come to you from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, from Egypt all the way to the River, from one sea to another and from mountain to mountain.
13 Yet the earth will become a wasteland on account of those who live in it, as the fruit of what they have done.
14 Tend your people with your staff, the flock that is your inheritance, living by itself in a forest in the midst of Carmel; let them feed in Bashan and Gilead as they did long ago.
15 Just as when you came out of the land of Egypt, I will let him see marvels.
16 Nations will look on and be put to shame in spite of all their strength; they will clap their hands over their mouths, and their ears will go deaf.
17 Like the snake they will lick dust, like creatures that crawl on the ground; they will creep out of their fortresses quaking; to the LORD our God they will come in dread, and they will be afraid of you.
18 What God is there like you, who takes away iniquity and overlooks the transgression of the remnant that is his inheritance? He does not hold on to his anger forever, for he takes delight in steadfast love.
19 Once more he will show us compassion; he will trample our iniquities down. Into the depths of the sea you will hurl all their sins.
20 You will grant faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham, as you promised our fathers by oath in days long past.