Isaiah 32
1 Lo, for righteousness doth a king reign, As to princes, for judgment they rule.
Listen to this! Some day there will be a righteous king, and his officials will help him to rule justly/fairly.
2 And each hath been as a hiding-place [from] wind, And as a secret hiding-place [from] inundation, As rivulets of waters in a dry place, As a shadow of a heavy rock in a weary land.
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.
3 And not dazzled are the eyes of beholders, And the ears of hearers do attend.
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.
4 And the heart of those hastened Understandeth to know, And the tongue of stammerers hasteth to speak clearly.
[Even] those who act very hastily will have good sense, and those who cannot speak well will speak fluently and clearly.
5 A fool is no more called 'noble,' And to a miser it is not said, 'rich;'
[At that time], people who are foolish/unwise will no longer be (admired/looked up to), and scoundrels will no longer be respected.
6 For a fool speaketh folly, And his heart doth iniquity, to do profanity, And to speak concerning Jehovah error, To empty the soul of the hungry, Yea, drink of the thirsty he causeth to lack.
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.
7 And the miser — his instruments [are] evil, He hath counselled wicked devices, To corrupt the poor with lying sayings, Even when the needy speaketh justly.
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.
8 And the noble counselled noble things, And he for noble things riseth up.
But honorable people plan to do honorable/good things, and they do the honorable/good things that they plan to do.
9 Women, easy ones, rise, hear my voice, Daughters, confident ones, give ear [to] my saying,
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!
10 Days and a year ye are troubled, O confident ones, For consumed hath been harvest, The gathering cometh not.
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.
11 Tremble ye women, ye easy ones, Be troubled, ye confident ones, Strip and make bare, with a girdle on the loins,
[So] tremble [now], you women who are not worried about anything! Take off your [fancy] clothes and put rough sackcloth around your waists.
12 For breasts they are lamenting, For fields of desire, for the fruitful vine.
Beat/Hit your breasts to show that you are grieving about [what will happen in] your fertile fields and to your fruitful grapevines,
13 Over the ground of my people thorn — brier goeth up, Surely over all houses of joy of the exulting city,
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.
14 Surely the palace hath been left, The multitude of the city forsaken, Fort and watch-tower hath been for dens unto the age, A joy of wild asses — a pasture of herds;
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.
15 Till emptied out on us is the Spirit from on high, And a wilderness hath become a fruitful field, And the fruitful field for a forest is reckoned.
[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.
16 And dwelt in the wilderness hath judgment, And righteousness in the fruitful field remaineth.
People [PRS] will act/rule justly/fairly in those desert areas, and people will act/rule righteously in those fertile fields.
17 And a work of the righteousness hath been peace, And a service of the righteousness — Keeping quiet and confidence unto the age.
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.
18 And dwelt hath My people in a peaceful habitation, And in stedfast tabernacles, And in quiet resting-places.
My people will live in their homes peacefully, and safely, and calmly, in places of rest.
19 And it hath hailed in the going down of the forest, And in the valley is the city low.
[Even if a severe] hailstorm knocks down [the trees in] the forest, and [all the buildings in] the city are blown down,
20 Happy [are] ye sowing by all waters, Sending forth the foot of the ox and the ass!
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.
