1 Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, And princes will rule with justice. |
2 A man will be as a hiding place from the wind, And a cover from the tempest, As rivers of water in a dry place, As the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. |
3 The eyes of those who see will not be dim, And the ears of those who hear will listen. |
4 Also the heart of the rash will understand knowledge, And the tongue of the stammerers will be ready to speak plainly. |
5 The foolish person will no longer be called generous, Nor the miser said to be bountiful; |
6 For the foolish person will speak foolishness, And his heart will work iniquity: To practice ungodliness, To utter error against the LORD, To keep the hungry unsatisfied, And he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail. |
7 Also the schemes of the schemer are evil; He devises wicked plans To destroy the poor with lying words, Even when the needy speaks justice. |
8 But a generous man devises generous things, And by generosity he shall stand. |
9 Rise up, you women who are at ease, Hear my voice; You complacent daughters, Give ear to my speech. |
10 In a year and some days You will be troubled, you complacent women; For the vintage will fail, The gathering will not come. |
11 Tremble, you women who are at ease; Be troubled, you complacent ones; Strip yourselves, make yourselves bare, And gird sackcloth on your waists. |
12 People shall mourn upon their breasts For the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine. |
13 On the land of my people will come up thorns and briers, Yes, on all the happy homes in the joyous city; |
14 Because the palaces will be forsaken, The bustling city will be deserted. The forts and towers will become lairs forever, A joy of wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks-- |
15 Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, And the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, And the fruitful field is counted as a forest. |
16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, And righteousness remain in the fruitful field. |
17 The work of righteousness will be peace, And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever. |
18 My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, In secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places, |
19 Though hail comes down on the forest, And the city is brought low in humiliation. |
20 Blessed are you who sow beside all waters, Who send out freely the feet of the ox and the donkey. |