Isaiah 32

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

Watch! A king is coming who does what's right when he rules, and those who rule under him will act fairly.

2 And a man shall be as when one is hid from the wind, and hideth himself from a storm, as rivers of waters in drought, and the shadow of a rock that standeth out in a desert land.

Each one will be like a shelter from the wind, like a protection from the storm, like rivers of water in the dry desert, like the shade of a large rock in a sun-baked land.

3 The eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken diligently.

Then everyone with eyes will be able to truly see, and everyone who has ears will be able to truly hear.

4 And the heart of fools shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of stammerers shall speak readily and plain.

Those whose minds are impulsive will be sensible and think things through; those who stammer will speak clearly.

5 The fool shall no more be called prince: neither shall the deceitful be called great:

No longer will fools be called respectable or crooks highly-regarded.

6 For the fool will speak foolish things, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise hypocrisy, and speak to the Lord deceitfully, and to make empty the soul of the hungry, and take away drink from the thirsty.

For fools only talk foolishness, thinking evil things. They act in opposition to the Lord, misrepresenting him in what they say. They refuse to give food to the hungry and deny water to the thirsty.

7 The vessels of the deceitful are most wicked: for he hath framed devices to destroy the meek, with lying words, when the poor man speaketh judgment.

Cheats use evil methods; they devise schemes to ruin the poor with lies, even when right is on the side of the poor.

8 But the prince will devise such things as are worthy of a prince, and he shall stand above the rulers.

But noble people act unselfishly; they keep to their principles of generosity.

9 Rise up, ye rich women, and hear my voice: ye confident daughters, give ear to my speech.

Get up, you women who are lying around relaxing, and pay attention to what I'm saying! You ladies without a care in the world, listen to me!

10 For after days and a year, you that are confident shall be troubled: for the vintage is at an end, the gathering shall come no more.

In just over a year, you who think yourselves so safe will tremble with fear. The grape harvest is going to fail and there'll be no harvest.

11 Be astonished, ye rich women, be troubled, ye confident ones: strip yen, and be confounded, gird your loins.

Shudder, you women relaxing! Tremble, you ladies who feel so safe! Strip off your clothes, bare yourselves and put on sackcloth around your waists.

12 Mourn for your breasts, for the delightful country, for the fruitful vineyard.

Beat your breasts in sadness over the loss of your lovely fields, your productive vines,

13 Upon the land of my people shall thorns and briers come up: how much more upon all the houses of joy, of the city that rejoiced?

over the loss of the land of my people. Mourn because it's now overgrown with thorns and brambles, mourn because of the loss of all the happy homes and joyful towns.

14 For the house is forsaken, the multitude of the city is left, darkness and obscurity are come upon its dens for ever. A joy of wild asses, the pastures of flocks,

The palace is abandoned, the crowded town is deserted. Castles and watch towers will forever become homes loved by wild donkeys, and places where sheep graze,

15 Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high: and the desert shall be as a charmel, and charmel shall be counted for a forest.

until the Spirit is poured out on us from above, and the desert becomes like a good field full of crops, and a good field will grow like a forest.

16 And judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, and justice shall sit in charmel.

Then people living in the desert will practice justice, and those living among the fields will do what is right.

17 And the work of justice shall be peace, and the service of justice quietness, and security for ever.

Living right will bring peace and security that endures.

18 And my people shall sit in the beauty of peace, and in the tabernacles of confidence, and in wealthy rest.

My people will live in peace, safe and secure in their homes.

19 But hail shall be in the descent of the forest, and the city shall be made very low.

Even though hail can destroy a forest, and a town can be demolished,

20 Blessed are ye that sow upon all waters, sending thither the foot of the ox and the ass.

you will be happy as you sow your crops beside the waters and let your cattle and donkeys roam freely.