Parallel Verses
Youngs Literal Translation
On the evil are both hands to do it well, The prince is asking -- also the judge -- for recompence, And the great -- he is speaking the mischief of his soul, And they wrap it up.
New American Standard Bible
The prince asks, also the judge, for a
And a great man speaks the desire of his soul;
So they weave it together.
King James Version
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.
Holman Bible
the official and the judge demand a bribe;
when the powerful man communicates his evil desire,
they plot it together.
International Standard Version
And speaking of evil, they practice it eagerly with both hands! Both leader and judge demand a bribe, the famous confess their perverted desires, and they scheme together.
A Conservative Version
Their hands are upon that which is evil to do it diligently. The ruler asks, and the judge [is ready] for a bribe. And the great man, he utters the evil desire of his soul. Thus they weave it together.
American Standard Version
Their hands are upon that which is evil to do it diligently; the prince asketh, and the judge is ready for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth the evil desire of his soul: thus they weave it together.
Amplified
Concerning evil, both of their hands pursue it and do it diligently and thoroughly;
The prince asks, also the judge, for a bribe,
And a great man speaks the [evil] desire of his soul.
So they twist the course of justice between them.
Bible in Basic English
Their hands are made ready to do evil; the ruler makes requests for money, and the judge is looking for a reward; and the great man gives decisions at his pleasure, and the right is twisted.
Darby Translation
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.
Julia Smith Translation
For doing evil with the hands to do well, the chief asking, and the judge, for peace; and the great one, he spake the mischief of his soul: and they will entangle it
King James 2000
That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asks, and the judge asks for a bribe; and the great man, he utters his evil desire: so they weave it together.
Lexham Expanded Bible
Their hands [are] upon evil, to do [it] well; the official and the judge ask for the bribe, and the great [man] utters the evil desire of his soul; and they weave [it] together.
Modern King James verseion
Both hands are on evil, to do it well. The ruler asks for a bribe, and the judge also; and the great man speaks the evil desire of his soul. So they weave it together.
Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale
yet they say they do well when they do evil. As the prince will, so sayeth the judge: that he may do him a pleasure again. The great man speaketh what his heart desireth; and the hearers allow him.
NET Bible
They are determined to be experts at doing evil; government officials and judges take bribes, prominent men make demands, and they all do what is necessary to satisfy them.
New Heart English Bible
Their hands are on that which is evil to do it diligently. The ruler and judge ask for a bribe; and the powerful man dictates the evil desire of his soul. Thus they conspire together.
The Emphasized Bible
Of wickedness with both hands to make sure, the ruler, doth make demand - and the judge - for a recompense, - and, as for the great man, he, is putting into words the desire of his soul, So have they woven the net!
Webster
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.
World English Bible
Their hands are on that which is evil to do it diligently. The ruler and judge ask for a bribe; and the powerful man dictates the evil desire of his soul. Thus they conspire together.
Themes
Character » Of the wicked » Evil doers
Character » Of the wicked » Mischievous
Character of the wicked » Mischievous
Courts » Miscellaneous topics relating to courts and judicial procedure » Corruption of
Earthly » Reward » Earthly, a source of temptation
Evil » Zeal » Against » Manifested by evil men in pursuing their plans
hands » Of the wicked, described as » Mischievous
Removal » The righteous being removed from the earth
Reward » Spiritual crowns » Earthly, a source of temptation
Zeal » Evil » Manifested by evil men in pursuing their plans
Topics
Interlinear
Ra`
Kaph
Yatab
Sha'al
Dabar
References
American
Hastings
Word Count of 20 Translations in Micah 7:3
Verse Info
Context Readings
Wait Upon Yahweh
2 Perished hath the kind out of the land, And upright among men -- there are none, All of them for blood lie in wait, Each his brother they hunt with a net. 3 On the evil are both hands to do it well, The prince is asking -- also the judge -- for recompence, And the great -- he is speaking the mischief of his soul, And they wrap it up. 4 Their best one is as a brier, The upright one -- than a thorn-hedge, The day of thy watchmen -- Thy visitation -- hath come. Now is their perplexity.
Cross References
Micah 3:11
Her heads for a bribe do judge, And her priests for hire do teach, And her prophets for silver divine, And on Jehovah they lean, saying, 'Is not Jehovah in our midst? Evil doth not come in upon us.'
Proverbs 4:16-17
For they sleep not if they do not evil, And their sleep hath been taken violently away, If they cause not some to stumble.
Amos 5:12
For I have known -- many are your transgressions, And mighty your sins, Adversaries of the righteous, taking ransoms, And the needy in the gate ye turned aside.
1 Kings 21:9-14
and she writeth in the letters, saying, 'Proclaim a fast, and cause Naboth to sit at the head of the people,
Isaiah 1:23
Thy princes are apostates, and companions of thieves, Every one loving a bribe, and pursuing rewards, The fatherless they judge not, And the plea of the widow cometh not to them.
Isaiah 26:21
For, lo, Jehovah is coming out of His place, To charge the iniquity of the inhabitant of the earth upon him, And revealed hath the earth her blood, Nor doth she cover any more her slain!'
Jeremiah 3:5
Doth He keep to the age? watch for ever?' Lo, these things thou hast spoken, And thou dost the evil things, and prevailest.
Jeremiah 8:10
Therefore, I give their wives to others, Their fields to dispossessors, For from the least even unto the greatest, Every one is gaining dishonest gain, From prophet even unto priest, every one is dealing falsely.
Ezekiel 22:6
Lo, princes of Israel -- each according to his arm Have been in thee to shed blood.
Ezekiel 22:27
Its princes in its midst are as wolves, Tearing prey, to shed blood, to destroy souls, For the sake of gaining dishonest gain.
Hosea 4:18
Sour is their drink, They have gone diligently a-whoring, Her protectors have loved shame thoroughly.
Matthew 26:15
'What are ye willing to give me, and I will deliver him up to you?' and they weighed out to him thirty silverlings,
Luke 12:1-2
At which time the myriads of the multitude having been gathered together, so as to tread upon one another, he began to say unto his disciples, first, 'Take heed to yourselves of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy;
1 Corinthians 4:5
so, then, nothing before the time judge ye, till the Lord may come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of the darkness, and will manifest the counsels of the hearts, and then the praise shall come to each from God.