1. How sad for me!For I am like one who —when the summer fruit has been gatheredafter the gleaning of the grape harvest —finds no grape cluster to eat,no early fig, which I crave.
2. Godly 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.
3. Both 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.
4. The 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.
5. Do not rely on a friend; don’t trust in a close companion.Seal your mouthfrom the woman who lies in your arms.
6. Surely 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.
7. But I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.
8. Do 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.
9. Because I have sinned against Him,I must endure the Lord’s rageuntil He argues my case and establishes justice for me. He will bring me into the light; I will see His salvation.
10. Then 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 trampledlike mud in the streets.