Isaiah 32

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

Listen to this! Some day there will be a righteous king, and his officials will help him to rule justly/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 [of them] will be like [MET] a shelter from the wind and a (refuge/place to be protected) from the storm. They will be like [SIM] streams of water in the desert, like the shade under a huge rock in a very hot and dry land.

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

When that happens, [those leaders will enable] people who have not understood [MET] [God’s truth] to understand it, and [they will enable] those who have not paid attention to [MET] [God’s truth] to pay attention to it.

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

[Even] those who act very hastily will have good sense, and those who cannot speak well will speak fluently and clearly.

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

[At that time], people who are foolish/unwise will no longer be (admired/looked up to), and scoundrels will no longer be respected.

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.

Foolish people say things that are foolish, and they plan to do evil things. Their behavior is disgraceful, and they say things about Yahweh that are false. They do not give food to those who are hungry, and they do not give water to those who are 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.

Scoundrels do things that are evil and that deceive people; they plan to do evil things; by telling lies [in court] they cause poor people to (have trouble/be convicted), even when what the poor [people] are requesting is fair/just.

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

But honorable people plan to do honorable/good things, and they do the honorable/good things that they plan to do.

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

You women [of Jerusalem] who think that you are very secure/safe and think that everything is going well, listen to [IDM] what I say!

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.

One year from now, you who now (are not worried about anything/think that everything is going well) will tremble, because there will be no grapes for you to harvest and no [other] crops to harvest.

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

[So] tremble [now], you women who are not worried about anything! Take off your [fancy] clothes and put rough sackcloth around your waists.

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

Beat/Hit your breasts to show that you are grieving about [what will happen in] your fertile fields and to your fruitful grapevines,

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?

because [only] thorns and thistles will grow in your soil. Your houses where you had joyful parties and your city where you have been happy will be gone.

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 [king’s] palace will be empty; there will be no people in the city that [now] is very noisy. Wild donkeys will walk around and flocks of sheep will eat grass in the empty forts and watchtowers.

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.

[It will be like that] until God pours his Spirit out on us from heaven. [When that happens], the deserts will become fertile fields, and abundant crops will grow in those fertile fields.

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

People [PRS] will act/rule justly/fairly in those desert areas, and people will act/rule righteously in those fertile fields.

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

And the result of their acting righteously will be that there will be peace, the land will be tranquil/quiet, and people will be secure/safe forever.

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 their homes peacefully, and safely, and calmly, in places of rest.

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

[Even if a severe] hailstorm knocks down [the trees in] the forest, and [all the buildings in] the city are blown down,

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

Yahweh [will greatly] bless you; you will plant [seeds in fields] alongside the streams [and there will be abundant crops]. Your donkeys and cattle will easily find grass to eat.