1. I feel so empty inside—like someone starvingfor grapes or figs,after the vines and treeshave all been picked clean.
2. No one is loyal to God;no one does right.Everyone is brutaland eager to deceiveeveryone else.
3. People cooperate to commit crime.Judges and leaders demand bribes,and rulers cheat in court.
4. The most honest of themis worse than a thorn patch.Your doom has come!Lookouts sound the warning,and everyone panics.
5. Don't trust anyone,not even your best friend,and be careful what you sayto the one you love.
6. Sons refuse to respecttheir own fathers,daughters rebel againsttheir own mothers,and daughters-in-law despisetheir mothers-in-law.Your family is now your enemy.
7. But I trust the Lord Godto save me,and I will wait for himto answer my prayer.
8. My enemies, don't be gladbecause of my troubles!I may have fallen,but I will get up;I may be sitting in the dark,but the Lord is my light.
9. I have sinned against the Lord.And so I must endure his anger,until he comes to my defence.But I know that I will see himmaking things right for meand leading me to the light.
10. You, my enemies, said,“The Lord God is helpless.”Now each of youwill be disgracedand put to shame.I will see you trampledlike mud in the street.
11. Towns of Judah, the day is comingwhen your walls will be rebuilt,and your boundaries enlarged.
12. People will flock to youfrom Assyria and Egypt,from Babyloniaand everywhere else.
13. Those nations will suffer disasterbecause of what they did.
14. Lead your people, Lord!Come and be our shepherd.Grasslands surround us,but we live in a forest.So lead us to Bashan and Gilead,and let us find pastureas we did long ago.
15. I, the Lord, will work miraclesjust as I did when I led youout of Egypt.
16. Nations will see thisand be ashamed becauseof their helpless armies.They will be in shock,unable to speak or hear,
17. because of their fear of me,your Lord and God.Then they will come trembling,crawling out of their fortresseslike insects or snakes,lapping up the dust.
18. Our God, no one is like you.We are all that is leftof your chosen people,and you freely forgiveour sin and guilt.You don't stay angry for ever;you're glad to have pity
19. and pleased to be merciful.You will trample on our sinsand throw them in the sea.
20. You will keep your wordand be faithful to Jacoband to Abraham,as you promised our ancestorsmany years ago.