The Darby Translation DBY
GOD'S WORD Translation GW
1 Woe is me! for I am as when they have gathered the summer-fruits, as the grape-gleanings of the vintage. There is no cluster to eat; there is no early fruit [which] my soul desired.
1
Poor me! I am like those gathering summer fruit, like those picking grapes. But there aren't any grapes to eat or any ripened figs that I crave.
2 The godly [man] hath perished out of the land, and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood, they hunt every man his brother with a net.
2
Faithful people are gone from the earth, and no one is decent. All people lie in ambush to commit murder. They trap each other with nets.
3 Both hands are for evil, to do it well. The prince asketh, and the judge [is there] for a reward; and the great [man] uttereth his soul's greed: and [together] they combine it.
3
Their hands are skilled in doing evil. Officials ask for gifts. Judges accept bribes. Powerful people dictate what they want. So they scheme together.
4 The best of them is as a briar; the most upright, [worse] than a thorn-fence. The day of thy watchmen, thy visitation is come; now shall be their perplexity.
4
The best of them is like a briar. The most decent person is sharper than thornbushes. The day you thought you would be punished has come. Now is the time you will be confused.
5 Believe ye not in a companion, put not confidence in a familiar friend: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.
5
Don't trust your neighbors. Don't have confidence in [your] friends. Keep your mouth shut even when a woman is lying in your arms.
6 For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law: a man's enemies are the men of his own household.
6
A son treats his father with contempt. A daughter rebels against her mother. A daughter-in-law rebels against her mother-in-law. People's enemies are the members of their own families.
7 But as for me, I will look unto Jehovah; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.
7
I will look to the LORD. I will wait for God to save me. I will wait for my God to listen to me.
8 Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: though I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, Jehovah shall be a light unto me.
8
Don't laugh at me, my enemies. Although I've fallen, I will get up. Although I sit in the dark, the LORD is my light.
9 I will bear the indignation of Jehovah -- for I have sinned against him -- until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light; I shall behold his righteousness.
9
I have sinned against the LORD. So I will endure his fury until he takes up my cause and wins my case. He will bring me into the light, and I will see his victory.
10 And mine enemy shall see [it], and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where is Jehovah thy God? Mine eyes shall behold her; now shall she be trodden down, as the mire of the streets.
10
Then my enemies will see this, and they will be covered with shame, because they asked me, "Where is the LORD your God?" Now I look at them. They are trampled like mud in the streets.
11 In the day when thy walls shall be built, on that day shall the established limit recede.
11
The day for rebuilding your walls and extending your borders is coming.
12 In that day they shall come to thee from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, and from Egypt to the river, and from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain.
12
When that day comes, your people will come to you from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, from Egypt to the Euphrates River, from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain.
13 But the land shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings.
13
The earth will become a wasteland for those who live on it because of what the people living there have done.
14 Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine inheritance, dwelling alone in the forest, in the midst of Carmel: let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.
14
With your shepherd's staff, take care of your people, the sheep that belong to you. They live alone in the woods, in fertile pastures. Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead like before.
15 -- As in the days of thy coming forth out of the land of Egypt, will I shew them marvellous things.
15
Let us see miracles like the time you came out of Egypt.
16 -- The nations shall see, and be ashamed for all their might: they shall lay [their] hand upon [their] mouth, their ears shall be deaf.
16
Nations will see this and be ashamed in spite of all their strength. They will put their hands over their mouths. Their ears will become deaf.
17 They shall lick dust like the serpent; like crawling things of the earth, they shall come trembling forth from their close places. They shall turn with fear to Jehovah our God, and shall be afraid because of thee.
17
They will lick dust like snakes, like animals that crawl on the ground. They will come out of their hiding places trembling. They will turn away from your presence in fear, O LORD our God. They will be afraid of you.
18 Who is a God like unto thee, that forgiveth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? He retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in loving-kindness.
18
Who is a God like you? You forgive sin and overlook the rebellion of your faithful people. You will not be angry forever, because you would rather show mercy.
19 He will yet again have compassion on us, he will tread under foot our iniquities: and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
19
You will again have compassion on us. You will overcome our wrongdoing. You will throw all our sins into the deep sea.
20 Thou wilt perform truth to Jacob, loving-kindness to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers, from the days of old.
20
You will be faithful to Jacob. You will have mercy on Abraham as you swore by an oath to our ancestors long ago.
The Darby Translation is in the public domain.
GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.