Isaiah 32
1 Listen to this! Some day there will be a righteous king, and his officials will help him to rule justly/fairly.
Behold, a king reigns for righteousness, As for princes, they rule for judgment.
2 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.
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 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.
And the eyes of beholders are not dazzled, And the ears of hearers attend.
4 [Even] those who act very hastily will have good sense, and those who cannot speak well will speak fluently and clearly.
And the heart of those hurried understands to know, And the tongue of stammerers hurries to speak clearly.
5 [At that time], people who are foolish/unwise will no longer be (admired/looked up to), and scoundrels will no longer be respected.
A fool is no more called “noble,” And to a miser it is not said, “rich”;
6 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.
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 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.
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 honorable people plan to do honorable/good things, and they do the honorable/good things that they plan to do.
And the noble counseled noble things, And he rises up for noble things.
9 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!
Women, easy ones, rise, hear my voice, Daughters, confident ones, give ear [to] my saying,
10 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.
In days and a year You are troubled, O confident ones, For harvest has been consumed, The gathering does not come.
11 [So] tremble [now], you women who are not worried about anything! Take off your [fancy] clothes and put rough sackcloth around your waists.
Tremble, you women, you easy ones, Be troubled, you confident ones, Strip and make bare, with a girdle on the loins,
12 Beat/Hit your breasts to show that you are grieving about [what will happen in] your fertile fields and to your fruitful grapevines,
They are lamenting for breasts, For fields of desire, for the fruitful vine.
13 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.
Over the ground of my people thorn [and] brier go up, Surely over all houses of joy of the exulting city,
14 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.
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 [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.
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 People [PRS] will act/rule justly/fairly in those desert areas, and people will act/rule righteously in those fertile fields.
And judgment has dwelt in the wilderness, And righteousness remains in the fruitful field.
17 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.
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 live in their homes peacefully, and safely, and calmly, in places of rest.
And My people have dwelt in a peaceful habitation, And in steadfast dwelling places, And in quiet resting places.
19 [Even if a severe] hailstorm knocks down [the trees in] the forest, and [all the buildings in] the city are blown down,
And it has hailed in the going down of the forest, And the city is low in the valley.
20 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.
Blessed [are] you sowing by all waters, Sending forth the foot of the ox and the donkey!
