Online Bible

The Prophet Acknowledges Injustice

Woe to me! For I amLike harvests of summer fruit, like gleanings of ^agrapes.There is not a cluster of grapes left to eat,Nor an ^bearly fig, which ¹I crave.2 The ¹godly person has ^aperished from the land,And there is no upright person among mankind.All of them lie in wait for ^bbloodshed;Each of them hunts the other with a ^cnet.3 As for evil, both hands do it ^awell.The leader asks for a ^bbribe, also the judge,And the great one speaks the capricious desire of his soul;So they plot it together.4 The best of them is like a ^athorn bush,The most upright like a ^bthorn hedge.The day ¹when you post your watchmen,Your ^cpunishment is coming.Then their ^dconfusion will occur.5 Do not ^atrust in a neighbor;Do not have confidence in a close friend.Guard ¹your lipsFrom her who lies ²in your arms.6 For ^ason disavows father,Daughter rises up against her mother,Daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;^bA person’s enemies are the people of his own household.

God Is the Source of Salvation and Light

7 But as for me, I will ^abe on the watch for the LORD;I will ^bwait for the God of my salvation.My ^cGod will hear me.8 ^aDo not rejoice over me, ^benemy of mine.Though I fall I will ^crise;Though I live in darkness, the LORD is a ^dlight for me.

9 I will endure the rage of the LORDBecause I have sinned against Him,Until He ^apleads my case and executes justice for me.He will bring me out to the ^blight,And I will look at His ¹^crighteousness.10 Then my enemy will see,And shame will cover her who ^asaid to me,“Where is the LORD your God?”My eyes will look at her;¹At that time she will ²be ^btrampled downLike mud of the streets.11 It will be a day for ^abuilding your walls.On that day your boundary will be extended.12 It will be a day when ¹they will ^acome to youFrom Assyria and the cities of Egypt,From Egypt even to the Euphrates River,Even from sea to sea and mountain to mountain.13 And the earth will become a ^awasteland because of her inhabitants,On account of the ^bfruit of their deeds.

14 ^aShepherd Your people with Your ^bscepter,The flock of Your ¹possessionWhich lives by itself in the woodland,In the midst of ²a fruitful field.Let them feed in ^cBashan and Gilead^dAs in the days of old.15 “As in the days when you went out from the land of Egypt,I will show ¹^ayou miracles.”16 Nations ^awill see and be ashamedOf all their might.They will ^bput their hand on their mouth,Their ears will be deaf.17 They will ^alick up dust like a snake,Like ¹^breptiles of the earth.They will come ^ctrembling out of their ²fortresses;To the LORD our God they will come in ^dtrepidation,And they will be afraid of You.18 Who is a God like You, who ^apardons wrongdoingAnd passes over a rebellious act of the ^bremnant of His ¹possession?He does not ^cretain His anger forever,Because He ^ddelights in mercy.19 He will again take pity on us;^aHe will trample on our wrongdoings.Yes, You will ^bcast all ¹their sinsInto the depths of the sea.20 You will give ¹^atruth to JacobAnd favor to Abraham,Which You ^bswore to our forefathersFrom the days of old.

There Is No Upright Person

Woe is me! For I amLike the fruit pickers, like the ^agrape gatherers.There is not a cluster of grapes to eat,Or a ^bfirst-ripe fig which my soul desires.2 The ¹holy one has ^aperished from the land,And there is no upright person among men.All of them lie in wait for ^bbloodshed;Each of them hunts the other with a ^cnet.3 Concerning evil, both hands do it ^awell.The prince asks, also the judge, for a ^bpayment,And a great man speaks the craving of his soul;So they weave it together.4 The best of them is like a ^abriar,The most upright like a ^bthorn hedge.The day when you post your watchmen,Your ^cpunishment will come.¹At that time their ^dpanic will happen.5 Do not ^abelieve in a neighbor;Do not have confidence in a close companion.From her who lies in your bosomGuard the openings of your mouth.6 For ^ason treats father as a wicked fool;Daughter rises up against her mother,Daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;^bA man’s enemies are the men of his own household.

Yahweh Is a Light for Me

7 But as for me, I will ^awatch expectantly for Yahweh;I will ^bwait for the God of my salvation.My ^cGod will hear me.8 ^aDo not be glad over me, O ^bmy enemy.Though I fall I will ^crise;Though I inhabit the darkness, Yahweh is a ^dlight for me.

9 I will bear the rage of YahwehBecause I have sinned against Him,Until He ^apleads my case and does justice for me.He will bring me out to the ^blight,And I will see His ¹^crighteousness.10 Then my enemy will see,And shame will cover her who ^asaid to me,“Where is Yahweh your God?”My eyes will look on her;¹At that time she will ²be ^btrampled downLike mire of the streets.11 It will be a day for ^abuilding your walls.On that day your boundary will be extended.12 It will be a day when ¹they will ^acome to youFrom Assyria and the cities of Egypt,From Egypt even to the ²River,Even from sea to sea and mountain to mountain.13 And the earth will become ^adesolate because of her inhabitants,On account of the ^bfruit of their deeds.

14 ^aShepherd Your people with Your ^bscepter,The flock of Your inheritanceWhich dwells by itself in the forest,In the midst of ¹a fruitful orchard.Let them feed in ^cBashan and Gilead^dAs in the ancient days.15 “As in the days when you came out from the land of Egypt,I will show ¹^ayou wondrous deeds.”16 Nations ^awill see and be ashamedOf all their might.They will ^bput their hand on their mouth;Their ears will be deaf.17 They will ^alick the dust like a serpent,Like ^bcrawling things of the earth.They will come ^ctrembling out of their ¹fortresses;To Yahweh our God they will come in ^ddread,And they will be afraid before You.18 Who is a God like You, who ^aforgives iniquityAnd passes over the transgression of the ^bremnant of His inheritance?He does not ^chold fast to His anger foreverBecause He ^ddelights in lovingkindness.19 He will again have compassion on us;^aHe will subdue our iniquities.And You will ^bcast all ¹their sinsInto the depths of the sea.20 You will give ¹^atruth to JacobAnd lovingkindness to Abraham,Which You ^bswore to our fathersFrom the days of old.