Back to BooksSimple English

Micah

Foretells judgment and restoration for Jerusalem and emphasizes doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly with God.

Chapter 7

Back to Chapters

1 Woe is me! for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grapegleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat: my soul desired the firstripe fruit.

*Oh, how sad I am! It's like after summer fruits are picked, only the leftovers remain; there are no more clusters left for eating; my soul longs for fresh, ripe fruit.

2 The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net.

*The good person is gone from the world; no one is honest. Everyone wants to harm others; they trap each person to hurt their brothers.

3 That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up.

*The leader, the judge, and the important person all want to do bad things and seek rewards for their actions. They hide their evil intentions.

4 The best of them is as a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh; now shall be their perplexity.

*The best one is like a prickly bush: the straightest one is sharper than a fence of thorns: the day when your guards come to visit will arrive; now they will be confused.

5 Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.

*Don't trust a friend completely, don't rely on a guide either; avoid talking to someone who lies close to you.

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 house.

*When a child disrespects their parent, when a daughter goes against her mom, or a daughter-in-law goes against her mother-in-law, a man's biggest opponents can be the people in his own family.

7 Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.

*So, I'll rely on the LORD and wait for my saving God. He will listen to me.

8 Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.

*Don't celebrate over me, my foe; when I stumble, I'll get back up; even in darkness, the LORD will be my light.

9 I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness.

*I will take the anger of God since I have wronged him. He will defend me and judge for me. He will lead me to the light where I can see his fairness.

10 Then she that is mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where is the LORD thy God? mine eyes shall behold her: now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets.

*Then my enemy will see it and feel ashamed, who asked me, "Where is your God?" I will see her, and she will be treated like mud on the streets.

11 In the day that thy walls are to be built, in that day shall the decree be far removed.

*When your walls are being built, at that time, the decision will be far away.

12 In that day also he shall come even to thee from Assyria, and from the fortified cities, and from the fortress even to the river, and from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain.

*On that day, he will arrive at you from Assyria and other strong cities. He will go as far as the river, from one sea to another, and from one mountain range to another.

13 Notwithstanding the land shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings.

*Despite this, the land will be empty due to those living there, as a result of their actions and what they produce.

14 Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood, in the midst of Carmel: let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.

*Nourish your people with your leadership, the special group living alone in the forest near Carmel. Let them graze in Bashan and Gilead like before.

15 According to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt will I shew unto him marvellous things.

*I will show him amazing things based on the days he spent leaving Egypt.

16 The nations shall see and be confounded at all their might: they shall lay their hand upon their mouth, their ears shall be deaf.

*People from different countries will be surprised by the power they have; they'll put their hands over their mouths, not knowing what to say, and they won't be able to hear anything.

17 They shall lick the dust like a serpent, they shall move out of their holes like worms of the earth: they shall be afraid of the LORD our God, and shall fear because of thee.

*People will act like snakes licking dust and worms coming from the ground. They will be scared of our God and also because of you.

18 Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.

*Who is a god like you, who forgives sin and overlooks the remaining inheritance? You do not hold onto your anger forever because you enjoy showing mercy.

19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

*He will return and show mercy to us; he will reduce our wrongdoings; and you will throw all their sins into the deep ocean.

20 Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.

*You will do what is right for Jacob and show mercy to Abraham, just as you promised our ancestors a long time ago.

Back to Chapters

* work in progress, there will be mistakes

Copyright © 2025 - Gema369 All Rights Reserved