Isaiah — Chapter 32

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

2Each 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.

3Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed, and the ears of those who hear will listen.

4The mind of the rash will know and understand, and the stammering tongue will speak clearly and fluently.

5No longer will a fool be called noble, nor a scoundrel be respected.

6For 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.

7The weapons of the scoundrel are destructive; he hatches plots to destroy the poor with lies, even when the plea of the needy is just.

8But a noble man makes honorable plans; he stands up for worthy causes.

9Stand up, you complacent women; listen to me. Give ear to my word, you overconfident daughters.

10In 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.

11Shudder, you ladies of leisure; tremble, you daughters of complacency. Strip yourselves bare and put sackcloth around your waists.

12Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vines,

13and for the land of my people, overgrown with thorns and briers—even for every house of merriment in this city of revelry.

14For 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—

15until 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.

16Then justice will inhabit the wilderness, and righteousness will dwell in the fertile field.

17The work of righteousness will be peace; the service of righteousness will be quiet confidence forever.

18Then my people will dwell in a peaceful place, in safe and secure places of rest.

19But hail will level the forest, and the city will sink to the depths.

20Blessed are those who sow beside abundant waters, who let the ox and donkey range freely.

1Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment.

2And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.

3And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken.

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

5The vile person shall be no more called liberal, nor the churl said to be bountiful.

6For the vile person will speak villany, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise hypocrisy, and to utter error against the LORD, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.

7The instruments also of the churl are evil: he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right.

8But the liberal deviseth liberal things; and by liberal things shall he stand.

9Rise up, ye women that are at ease; hear my voice, ye careless daughters; give ear unto my speech.

10Many days and years shall ye be troubled, ye careless women: for the vintage shall fail, the gathering shall not come.

11Tremble, ye women that are at ease; be troubled, ye careless ones: strip you, and make you bare, and gird sackcloth upon your loins.

12They shall lament for the teats, for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine.

13Upon the land of my people shall come up thorns and briers; yea, upon all the houses of joy in the joyous city:

14Because the palaces shall be forsaken; the multitude of the city shall be left; the forts and towers shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks;

15Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest.

16Then judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field.

17And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.

18And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places;

19When it shall hail, coming down on the forest; and the city shall be low in a low place.

20Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth thither the feet of the ox and the ass.

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

2And a man shall be as a hiding-place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest, as streams of water in a dry place, as the shade of a great rock in a weary land.

3And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken.

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

5The fool shall be no more called noble, nor the churl said to be bountiful.

6For the fool will speak folly, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise profaneness, and to utter error against Jehovah, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and to cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.

7And the instruments of the churl are evil: he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the meek with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right.

8But the noble deviseth noble things; and in noble things shall he continue.

9Rise up, ye women that are at ease, [and] hear my voice; ye careless daughters, give ear unto my speech.

10For days beyond a year shall ye be troubled, ye careless women; for the vintage shall fail, the ingathering shall not come.

11Tremble, ye women that are at ease; be troubled, ye careless ones; strip you, and make you bare, and gird [sackcloth] upon your loins.

12They shall smite upon the breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine.

13Upon the land of my people shall come up thorns and briers; yea, upon all the houses of joy in the joyous city.

14For the palace shall be forsaken; the populous city shall be deserted; the hill and the watch-tower shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks;

15until the Spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness become a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be esteemed as a forest.

16Then justice shall dwell in the wilderness; and righteousness shall abide in the fruitful field.

17And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness, quietness and confidence for ever.

18And my people shall abide in a peaceable habitation, and in safe dwellings, and in quiet resting-places.

19But it shall hail in the downfall of the forest; and the city shall be utterly laid low.

20Blessed are yet that sow beside all waters, that send forth the feet of the ox and the ass.

1Look, a king will promote fairness; officials will promote justice.

2Each of them will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from a rainstorm; like streams of water in a dry region and like the shade of a large cliff in a parched land.

3Eyes will no longer be blind and ears will be attentive.

4The mind that acts rashly will possess discernment, and the tongue that stutters will speak with ease and clarity.

5A fool will no longer be called honorable; a deceiver will no longer be called principled.

6For a fool speaks disgraceful things; his mind plans out sinful deeds. He commits godless deeds and says misleading things about the Lord; he gives the hungry nothing to satisfy their appetite and gives the thirsty nothing to drink.

7A deceiver’s methods are evil; he dreams up evil plans to ruin the poor with lies, even when the needy are in the right.

8An honorable man makes honorable plans; his honorable character gives him security.

9You complacent women, get up and listen to me! You carefree daughters, pay attention to what I say!

10In a year’s time you carefree ones will shake with fear, for the grape harvest will fail, and the fruit harvest will not arrive.

11Tremble, you complacent ones! Shake with fear, you carefree ones! Strip off your clothes and expose yourselves— put sackcloth around your waists.

12Mourn over the field, over the delightful fields and the fruitful vine.

13Mourn over the land of my people, which is overgrown with thorns and briers, and over all the once-happy houses in the city filled with revelry.

14For the fortress is neglected; the once-crowded city is abandoned. Hill and watchtower are permanently uninhabited. Wild donkeys love to go there, and flocks graze there.

15This desolation will continue until new life is poured out on us from heaven. Then the wilderness will become an orchard and the orchard will be considered a forest.

16Justice will settle down in the wilderness and fairness will live in the orchard.

17Fairness will produce peace and result in lasting security.

18My people will live in peaceful settlements, in secure homes, and in safe, quiet places.

19Even if the forest is destroyed and the city is annihilated,

20you will be blessed, you who plant seed by all the banks of the streams, you who let your ox and donkey graze.

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

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

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

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

5The fool will no longer be called noble, nor the scoundrel be highly respected.

6For the fool will speak folly, and his heart will work iniquity, to practice profanity, and to utter error against Yahweh, To make empty the soul of the hungry, and to cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.

7The ways of the scoundrel are evil. He devises wicked plans to destroy the humble with lying words, even when the needy speaks right.

8But the noble devises noble things; and he will continue in noble things.

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

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

11Tremble, you women who are at ease! Be troubled, you careless ones! Strip yourselves, make yourselves naked, and put sackcloth on your waist.

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

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

14For 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;

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

16Then justice will dwell in the wilderness; and righteousness will remain in the fruitful field.

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

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

19Though hail flattens the forest, and the city is leveled completely.

20Blessed are you who sow beside all waters, who send out the feet of the ox and the donkey.