Isaiah 32

1 Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment.

Behold, a king reigns for righteousness, As for princes, they rule for judgment.

2 And a man shall be as a hiding-place from the wind, and a covert from the storm; as brooks of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land.

And each has been as a hiding place [from] wind, And as a secret hiding place [from] inundation, As streams of waters in a dry place, As a shadow of a heavy rock in a weary land.

3 And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken;

And the eyes of beholders are not dazzled, And the ears of hearers attend.

4 and the heart of the rash shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly.

And the heart of those hurried understands to know, And the tongue of stammerers hurries to speak clearly.

5 The vile man shall be no more called noble, nor the churl said to be bountiful:

A fool is no more called “noble,” And to a miser it is not said, “rich”;

6 for the vile man will speak villainy, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise hypocrisy, and to utter error against Jehovah, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and to cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.

For a fool speaks folly, And his heart does iniquity, to do profanity, And to speak error concerning YHWH, To empty the soul of the hungry, Indeed, he causes the thirsty to lack [their] drink.

7 The instruments also of the churl are evil: he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the meek with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right.

And the miser—his instruments [are] evil, He has counseled wicked schemes, To corrupt the poor with lying sayings, Even when the needy speaks justly.

8 But the noble deviseth noble things; and to noble things doth he stand.

And the noble counseled noble things, And he rises up for noble things.

9 Rise up, ye women that are at ease, hear my voice; ye careless daughters, give ear unto my speech.

Women, easy ones, rise, hear my voice, Daughters, confident ones, give ear [to] my saying,

10 In a year and [some] days shall ye be troubled, ye careless women; for the vintage shall fail, the ingathering shall not come.

In days and a year You are troubled, O confident ones, For harvest has been consumed, The gathering does not come.

11 Tremble, ye women that are at ease; be troubled, ye careless ones; strip you, and make you bare, and gird [sackcloth] on your loins!

Tremble, you women, you easy ones, Be troubled, you confident ones, Strip and make bare, with a girdle on the loins,

12 They shall smite on the breasts [in lamentation] for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vineyards.

They are lamenting for breasts, For fields of desire, for the fruitful vine.

13 Upon the land of my people shall come up thistles [and] briars, yea, upon all the houses of joy in the joyous city.

Over the ground of my people thorn [and] brier go up, Surely over all houses of joy of the exulting city,

14 For the palace shall be deserted, the multitude of the city shall be forsaken; hill and watchtower shall be caves for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks;

The palace has been left, The multitude of the city forsaken, Fort and watchtower have been for dens for all time, A joy of wild donkeys—a pasture of herds;

15 until the Spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness become a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest.

Until the Spirit is emptied out on us from on high, And a wilderness has become a fruitful field, And the fruitful field is reckoned for a forest.

16 And judgment shall inhabit the wilderness, and righteousness dwell in the fruitful field.

And judgment has dwelt in the wilderness, And righteousness remains in the fruitful field.

17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance for ever.

And a work of the righteousness has been peace, And a service of the righteousness—Keeping quiet and confidence for all time.

18 And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting-places.

And My people have dwelt in a peaceful habitation, And in steadfast dwelling places, And in quiet resting places.

19 And it shall hail, coming down on the forest; and the city shall be low in a low place.

And it has hailed in the going down of the forest, And the city is low in the valley.

20 Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth the feet of the ox and the ass.

Blessed [are] you sowing by all waters, Sending forth the foot of the ox and the donkey!