1 Grief upon me! I have become like the gatherers {ospei: harvest workers} who come late to the summer fruit, like the gleanings {ollelot: leftover produce} left after the vintage—there is no cluster to eat; my soul yearns for the first-ripe fig.
2 The faithful one {khasid: righteous remnant} is gone from the land; among mankind there is no one upright. All of them ambush for blood; each man hunts his brother with a net {cherem: snare or trap}.
3 With both hands they are eager to do evil; the prince makes demands, the judge requires a bribe, and the great man speaks the desire {havat: evil intention} of his soul {nafsho: essential self}—and together they weave it into a scheme.
4 The best {tovam: their finest standing} among them is a brier; even the upright {yashar: morally sound} proves more harmful than a thorn hedge. The day your watchmen spoke of—your visitation—has arrived; now their confusion will overtake them.
5 Do not trust in a friend {re’a: close companion}; do not place confidence in an intimate friend {aluf: trusted companion}. Guard the doors of your mouth from the one who lies in your bosom.
6 A son brings dishonor {menabbel: shames} to his father; a daughter rises against her mother; a daughter-in-law stands against her mother-in-law—thus a man’s enemies are the men {anshei: household men} of his own house.
7 But as for me, I will keep watch for the LORD {YHWH, Faithful Deliverer}; I will wait for the God of my salvation {yish’i: deliverance}; my God will hear me.
8 Do not exult in my downfall, adversary; though I have stumbled, I will stand. Though I remain in darkness {choshekh: deep gloom}, the LORD {YHWH, Delivering Light} becomes my light.
9 I will bear the indignation of the LORD {YHWH, Righteous Judge}, because I have sinned against Him, until He pleads my case and carries out judgment for me; He will bring me out to the light, and I will see His righteousness {betzidqato: just character}.
10 Then my enemy will look on, and shame will engulf her—the one who said to me, “Where is the LORD {YHWH, Righteous Judge} your God?” My eyes will witness her downfall; now she will be trampled like mud {tit: filth} in the streets.
11 A day is coming to build up your walls {gederayikh: protective barrier}; in that day the boundary {choq: fixed limit} will be set far away.
12 On that day they will come to you from Assyria and from the cities of Egypt {arei matsor: regions of Egypt}, from Egypt even to the river {nahar: Euphrates River}, from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain.
13 Yet the land will be turned into desolation because of its inhabitants, from the fruit {pri: outcome or product} of their deeds {ma'alal: actions with consequences}.
14 Shepherd Your {YHWH, Shepherding Guardian} people with Your staff {shivteka: symbol of leadership}, the flock of Your inheritance, dwelling alone in a forest in the midst of Carmel; let them graze in Bashan and Gilead as in days long past.
15 As in the days of your going out {tzetkha: your departure} from the land of Egypt, I {YHWH, Promise Keeper} will show them wonders.
16 The nations will see and be put to shame {yevoshu: dishonored} in spite of all their might; they will put a hand over their mouths, and their ears {oznehem: unable to hear} will become deaf.
17 They will lick dust {afar: utter humiliation} like a serpent, like creeping things of the earth; trembling, they will come out from their strongholds; they will be afraid before the LORD our God {YHWH Eloheinu, Universal Sovereign}, and they will fear you.
18 Who is a God {El, Matchless Forgiver} like You who bears iniquity and passes over transgression for the remnant of His inheritance? He does not keep His anger forever, because He delights in steadfast love {chesed: covenant mercy}.
19 He {YHWH, Merciful Judge} will return; He will have compassion {yerachamenu: deep covenantal mercy} on us; He will subdue {yikhbosh: forceful suppression} our iniquities; and You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.
20 You {YHWH, Faithful Covenant-Keeper} will show truth to Jacob and lovingkindness {chesed: steadfast covenant love} to Abraham, as You swore to our fathers from days long ago.