Behold, a aking will reign righteously And princes will rule justly.
2Each will be like a arefuge from the wind And a shelter from the storm, Like 1 bstreams of water in a dry country, Like the ashade of a 2huge rock in 3a parched land.
3Then athe eyes of those who see will not be 1blinded, And the ears of those who hear will listen.
4The 1mind of the ahasty will discern the 2truth, And the tongue of the stammerers will hasten to speak clearly.
5No longer will the afool be called noble, Or the rogue be spoken of as generous.
6For a fool speaks nonsense, And his heart 1 ainclines toward wickedness: To practice bungodliness and to speak error against the LORD, To 2 ckeep the hungry person unsatisfied And 3to withhold drink from the thirsty.
7As for a rogue, his weapons are evil; He adevises wicked schemes To bdestroy the afflicted with 1slander, cEven though the needy one speaks 2what is right.
8But athe noble man devises noble plans; And by noble plans he stands.
9Rise up, you awomen who are at ease, And hear my voice; bGive ear to my word, You complacent daughters.
10Within a year and a few days You will be troubled, O complacent daughters; aFor the vintage is ended, And the fruit gathering will not come.
11Tremble, you women who are at ease; aBe troubled, you complacent daughters; bStrip, undress and put sackcloth on your waist,
12aBeat your breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine,
13aFor the land of my people in which thorns and briars shall come up; Yea, for all the joyful houses and for the bjubilant city.
14Because athe palace has been abandoned, the 1populated bcity forsaken. 2Hill and watch-tower have become ccaves forever, A delight for dwild donkeys, a pasture for flocks;
15Until the aSpirit is poured out upon us from on high, And the wilderness becomes a bfertile field, And the fertile field is considered as a forest.
16Then ajustice will dwell in the wilderness And righteousness will abide in the fertile field.
17And the awork of righteousness will be peace, And the service of righteousness, bquietness and 1confidence forever.
18Then my people will live in a apeaceful habitation, And in secure dwellings and in undisturbed bresting places;
19And it will ahail when the bforest comes down, And cthe city will be utterly laid low.
20How ablessed will you be, you who sow beside all waters, Who 1let out freely the ox and the donkey.