Isaiah 32

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

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

2 And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.

A man shall be as a hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the storm, as streams of water in a dry place, as the shade of a large 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.

The eyes of those who see will not be dim, and the ears of those who hear will listen.

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

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

5 The vile person shall be no more called liberal, nor the churl said to be bountiful.

The fool will no longer be called noble, nor the scoundrel be highly respected.

6 For the vile person will speak villany, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise hypocrisy, and to utter error against the Lord, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.

For the fool will speak folly, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise profanity, and to utter error against the LORD, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and to cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.

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

The ways of the scoundrel are evil. He devises wicked plans to destroy the humble with lying words, even when the needy speaks right.

8 But the liberal deviseth liberal things; and by liberal things shall he stand.

But the noble devises noble things, and he will continue in noble things.

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

Rise up, you women who are at ease! Hear my voice! You careless daughters, give ear to my speech!

10 Many days and years shall ye be troubled, ye careless women: for the vintage shall fail, the gathering shall not come.

For days beyond a year you will be troubled, you careless women; for the vintage will fail. The harvest won’t come.

11 Tremble, ye women that are at ease; be troubled, ye careless ones: strip you, and make you bare, and gird sackcloth upon your loins.

Tremble, you women who are at ease! Be troubled, you careless ones! Strip yourselves, make yourselves naked, and put sackcloth on your waist.

12 They shall lament for the teats, for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine.

Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine.

13 Upon the land of my people shall come up thorns and briers; yea, upon all the houses of joy in the joyous city:

Thorns and briers will come up on my people’s land; yes, on all the houses of joy in the joyous city.

14 Because the palaces shall be forsaken; the multitude of the city shall be left; the forts and towers shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks;

For the palace will be forsaken. The populous city will be deserted. The hill and the watchtower will be for dens forever, a delight for wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks,

15 Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest.

until the Spirit is poured on us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is considered a forest.

16 Then judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field.

Then justice will dwell in the wilderness; and righteousness will remain in the fruitful field.

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

The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.

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

My people will live in a peaceful habitation, in safe dwellings, and in quiet resting places,

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

though hail flattens the forest, and the city is levelled completely.

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

Blessed are you who sow beside all waters, who send out the feet of the ox and the donkey.