| Holman Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1How sad for me! For I am like one who-- when the summer fruit has been gathered after the gleaning of the grape harvest-- finds no grape cluster to eat, no early fig, which I crave. | 1Poor me! I feel like those who harvest summer fruit, or like those who pick grapes— there are no clusters to eat or any fresh fruit that I want. |
| 2Godly people have vanished from the land; there is no one upright among the people. All of them wait in ambush to shed blood; they hunt each other with a net. | 2The faithful have died off, and there is not one upright human being in the land. They all stalk one another with lethal intent, a man will even hunt his own brother with a net. |
| 3Both hands are good at accomplishing evil: the official and the judge demand a bribe; when the powerful man communicates his evil desire, they plot it together. | 3And speaking of evil, they practice it eagerly—with both hands! Both leader and judge demand a bribe, the famous confess their perverted desires, and they scheme together. |
| 4The best of them is like a brier; the most upright is worse than a hedge of thorns. The day of your watchmen, the day of your punishment, is coming; at this time their panic is here. | 4The best of them is like a thorn, and their most upright like a hedge of thorns. The day announced by your watchmen— and by your own calculations—approaches. Now it's your time to be confused! |
| 5Do not rely on a friend; don't trust in a close companion. Seal your mouth from the woman who lies in your arms. | 5Don't trust your friends, don't confide in a companion, watch what you say to your wife. |
| 6Surely a son considers his father a fool, a daughter opposes her mother, and a daughter-in-law is against her mother-in-law; a man's enemies are the men of his own household. | 6The son disrespects his father, the daughter rebels against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, and a man's enemies are the people of his own house. |
| 7But I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me. | 7But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God who will deliver me. My God will hear me. |
| 8Do not rejoice over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will stand up; though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light. | 8Don't be glad on my account, my enemy. When I fall, I'll get up. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD is a light for me. |
| 9Because I have sinned against Him, I must endure the LORD's rage until He argues my case and establishes justice for me. He will bring me into the light; I will see His salvation. | 9I will endure the LORD's anger— since I have sinned against him— until he takes over my defense, administers justice on my behalf, and brings me out to the light, where I will gaze on his righteousness. |
| 10Then my enemy will see, and she will be covered with shame, the one who said to me," Where is the LORD your God?" My eyes will look at her in triumph; at that time she will be trampled like mud in the streets. | 10Then my enemy will observe it, and shame will engulf the ones who asked me, 'Where is the LORD your God?' My own eyes will see them, they will be trampled on like mud in the streets. |
| 11A day will come for rebuilding your walls; on that day your boundary will be extended. | 11When the time comes for rebuilding your walls, that time will surely be extended. |
| 12On that day people will come to you from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, even from Egypt to the Euphrates River and from sea to sea and mountain to mountain. | 12At that time armies will invade you from Assyria, from Egyptian cities to the Euphrates River, from sea to sea and from mountain to mountain. |
| 13Then the earth will become a wasteland because of its inhabitants and as a result of their actions. | 13The land will become desolate because of its inhabitants, and as a result of their behavior. |
| 14Shepherd Your people with Your staff, the flock that is Your possession. They live alone in a woodland surrounded by pastures. Let them graze in Bashan and Gilead as in ancient times. | 14Use your rod to shepherd your people, the flock that belongs to you, that lives alone in the forest of Carmel. Let them find pasture in Bashan and Gilead, as they did long ago. |
| 15I will perform miracles for them as in the days of your exodus from the land of Egypt. | 15As I did when you came out of the land of Egypt, I will show you awesome things. |
| 16Nations will see and be ashamed of all their power. They will put their hands over their mouths, and their ears will become deaf. | 16The nations will look on and will be ashamed in spite of all their power; they will cup their hands over their mouths, and their ears will be deaf. |
| 17They will lick the dust like a snake; they will come trembling out of their hiding places like reptiles slithering on the ground. They will tremble in the presence of Yahweh our God; they will stand in awe of You. | 17They will lick the dust like a serpent; they will crawl from their strongholds like snakes. They will fear the LORD our God. They will be terrified because of you. |
| 18Who is a God like You, removing iniquity and passing over rebellion for the remnant of His inheritance? He does not hold on to His anger forever, because He delights in faithful love. | 18Is there any God like you, forgiving iniquity, passing over transgressions by the survivors who are your heritage? He is not angry forever, because he delights in gracious love. |
| 19He will again have compassion on us; He will vanquish our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. | 19He will again show us compassion; he will subdue our iniquities. You will hurl all their sins into the deepest sea. |
| 20You will show loyalty to Jacob and faithful love to Abraham, as You swore to our fathers from days long ago. | 20You will remain true to Jacob, and merciful to Abraham, as you promised our ancestors long ago. |
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