¹⁷ Also, in those days the freemen of Judah are multiplying their letters going unto Tobiah, and those of Tobiah are coming in unto them;

⁵ and by his hand have the Tekoites strengthened, and their honourable ones have not brought in their neck to the service of their Lord.

⁷ and my heart reigneth over me, and I strive with the freemen, and with the prefects, and say to them, `Usury one upon another ye are exacting;' and I set against them a great assembly,

²⁸ And `one' of the sons of Joiada son of Eliashib the high priest, `is' son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite, and I cause him to flee from off me.

¹ My wo `is' to me, for I have been As gatherings of summer-fruit, As gleanings of harvest, There is no cluster to eat, The first-ripe fruit desired hath my soul.

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.

⁵ Believe not in a friend, trust not in a leader, From her who is lying in thy bosom keep the openings of thy mouth.

⁶ For a son is dishonouring a father, A daughter hath stood against her mother, A daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, The enemies of each `are' the men of his house.

¹⁰ and then shall many be stumbled, and they shall deliver up one another, and shall hate one another.

¹¹ `And many false prophets shall arise, and shall lead many astray;

¹² and because of the abounding of the lawlessness, the love of the many shall become cold;