Isaiah 32

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

Behold, a king reigns for righteousness, As for princes, they rule for judgment.

2 A man shall be as a hiding place from the wind, and a shelter from the storm, as streams of water in a dry place, as the shade of a large rock in a weary land.

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

And the eyes of beholders are not dazzled, And the ears of hearers attend.

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

And the heart of those hurried understands to know, And the tongue of stammerers hurries to speak clearly.

5 And they will no longer call a fool noble, nor the scoundrel be highly respected.

A fool is no more called “noble,” And to a miser it is not said, “rich”;

6 For the fool will speak folly, and his heart plans iniquity, to practice 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.

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

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

And the noble counseled noble things, And he rises up for noble things.

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

Women, easy ones, rise, hear my voice, Daughters, confident ones, give ear [to] my saying,

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

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

Tremble, you women, you easy ones, Be troubled, you confident ones, Strip and make bare, with a girdle on the loins,

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

They are lamenting for breasts, For fields of desire, for the fruitful vine.

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

Over the ground of my people thorn [and] brier go up, Surely over all houses of joy of the exulting city,

14 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;

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

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

And judgment has dwelt in the wilderness, And righteousness remains in the fruitful field.

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

And a work of the righteousness has been peace, And a service of the righteousness—Keeping quiet and confidence for all time.

18 My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in safe dwellings, and in quiet resting places.

And My people have dwelt in a peaceful habitation, And in steadfast dwelling places, And in quiet resting places.

19 And it will hail when the forest comes down, and the wood is brought low in humiliation.

And it has hailed in the going down of the forest, And the city is low in the valley.

20 Blessed are you who sow beside all waters, who set free the foot of the ox and the donkey.

Blessed [are] you sowing by all waters, Sending forth the foot of the ox and the donkey!