Isaiah 32

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

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

2 Each one will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in a dry place, like the shade of a great rock in a land of weariness.

Each will be like a shelter from the wind, a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in a dry land, like the shadow of a great rock in an arid land.

3 Then the eyes of those who see will not be dim, and the ears of those who hear will hear attentively.

Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed, and the ears of those who hear will listen.

4 The rash will think carefully with understanding, and the stutterer will speak distinctly and with ease.

The mind of the rash will know and understand, and the stammering tongue will speak clearly and fluently.

5 The fool will no longer be called honorable, nor the deceiver called principled.

No longer will a fool be called noble, nor a scoundrel be respected.

6 For the fool speaks folly, and his heart plans evil and godless actions, and he speaks wrongly against Yahweh. He makes the hungry empty, and the thirsty he causes to lack drink.

For a fool speaks foolishness; his mind plots iniquity. He practices ungodliness and speaks falsely about the LORD; he leaves the hungry empty and deprives the thirsty of drink.

7 The deceiver's methods are evil. He devises wicked schemes to ruin the poor with lies, even when the poor say what is right.

The weapons of the scoundrel are destructive; he hatches plots to destroy the poor with lies, even when the plea of the needy is just.

8 But the honorable man makes honorable plans; and because of his honorable actions he will stand.

But a noble man makes honorable plans; he stands up for worthy causes.

9 Rise up, you women who are at ease, and listen to my voice; you carefree daughters, listen to me.

Stand up, you complacent women; listen to me. Give ear to my word, you overconfident daughters.

10 For in a little more than a year your confidence will be broken, you carefree women, for the grape harvest will fail, the ingathering will not come.

In a little more than a year you will tremble, O secure ones. For the grape harvest will fail and the fruit harvest will not arrive.

11 Tremble, you women who are at ease; be troubled, you confident ones; take off your fine clothes and make yourselves bare; put on sackcloth around your waists.

Shudder, you ladies of leisure; tremble, you daughters of complacency. Strip yourselves bare and put sackcloth around your waists.

12 You will wail for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vines.

Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vines,

13 The land of my people will be overgrown with thorns and briers, even in all the once joyful houses in the city of revelry.

and for the land of my people, overgrown with thorns and briers— even for every house of merriment in this city of revelry.

14 For the palace will be forsaken, the crowded city will be deserted; the hill and the watchtower will become caves forever, a joy of wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks;

For the palace will be forsaken, the busy city abandoned. The hill and the watchtower will become caves forever— the delight of wild donkeys and a pasture for flocks—

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

until the Spirit is poured out upon us from on high. Then the desert will be an orchard, and the orchard will seem like a forest.

16 Then justice will reside in the wilderness; and righteousness will live in the fruitful field.

Then justice will inhabit the wilderness, and righteousness will dwell in the fertile field.

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

The work of righteousness will be peace; the service of righteousness will be quiet confidence forever.

18 My people will live in a peaceful habitation, in secure homes, and in quiet resting places.

Then my people will dwell in a peaceful place, in safe and secure places of rest.

19 But even if it hails and the forest is destroyed, and the city is completely annihilated,

But hail will level the forest, and the city will sink to the depths.

20 you who sow beside all the streams will be blessed, you who send out your ox and donkey to graze.

Blessed are those who sow beside abundant waters, who let the ox and donkey range freely.