Isaiah 32

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

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

2 And every one shall be as a hiding-place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivulets of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a large rock in a languishing 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 those that see shall not be blinded again, and the ears of those 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 be attentive in order to know, 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 worthless person shall be no more called liberal, and the avaricious man shall not be said to be bountiful.

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

6 For the worthless person ever speaketh villany, and his heart will work injustice, to practise hypocrisy, and to speak error against the Lord, to leave empty the soul of the hungry, and the drink of the thirsty will he take away.

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 avaricious man are evil: he deviseth wicked resolves to destroy the poor with words of falsehood, even when the needy speaketh what is 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 he ever persisteth by liberal things.

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

9 Ye careless women rise up, hear my voice; ye daughters that are secure, 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 After days and years shall ye shudder, ye women that are secure; for ended is the vintage, the fruit gathering shall nowise 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 careless women; shudder, ye that are secure, strip off your garments and make yourselves bare, and gird [sackcloth] upon the 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 strike] on the breast, lamenting, for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine.

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

13 Upon the soil of my people thorns and briers shall come up; yea, upon all the houses of joy of the gladsome town.

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 palace is abandoned, the tumult of the city is forsaken; the hill and watch-tower are become dens for a long time, a joyous haunt for wild asses, a pasture for 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 a spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be changed into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be accounted as 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 shall justice dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness abide 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 security for ever.

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

18 And then shall my people abide in peaceful dwellings, and secure abodes, and in undisturbed resting-places.

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

19 And it shall spread itself out in the declivity of the forest; and far down in the lowlands shall the city descend.

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

20 Happy are ye that sow beside all waters, freely sending forth 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.