< Isaiah 32 >
1 Behold, a king reigns for righteousness, As for princes, they rule for judgment.
2 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 beholders are not dazzled, And the ears of hearers attend.
4 And the heart of those hurried understands to know, And the tongue of stammerers hurries to speak clearly.
5 A fool is no more called “noble,” And to a miser it is not said, “rich”;
6 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 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 And the noble counseled noble things, And he rises up for noble things.
9 Women, easy ones, rise, hear my voice, Daughters, confident ones, give ear [to] my saying,
10 In days and a year You are troubled, O confident ones, For harvest has been consumed, The gathering does not come.
11 Tremble, you women, you easy ones, Be troubled, you confident ones, Strip and make bare, with a girdle on the loins,
12 They are lamenting for breasts, For fields of desire, for the fruitful vine.
13 Over the ground of my people thorn [and] brier go up, Surely over all houses of joy of the exulting city,
14 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 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 has dwelt in the wilderness, And righteousness remains in the fruitful field.
17 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 have dwelt in a peaceful habitation, And in steadfast dwelling places, And in quiet resting places.
19 And it has hailed in the going down of the forest, And the city is low in the valley.
20 Blessed [are] you sowing by all waters, Sending forth the foot of the ox and the donkey!
