Isaiah, 32

1. There will be a king who reigns uprightly and princes who rule with fair judgement;

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

2. each will be like a shelter from the wind, a refuge from the storm, like streams on arid ground, like the shade of a solid rock in a desolate land.

2. Each will be like a hiding place from the wind, a covert from the tempest, like streams of water in a dry place, like the shade of a great rock in a weary land.

3. The eyes of seers will no longer be closed, the ears of hearers will be alert,

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

4. the heart of the hasty will learn to think things over, and the tongue of stammerers will speak promptly and clearly.

4. The mind of the rash will have good judgment, and the tongue of the stammerers will speak readily and distinctly.

5. The fool will no longer be called generous, nor the rascal be styled bountiful.

5. The fool will no more be called noble, nor the knave said to be honorable.

6. For the fool speaks folly and his heart is set on villainy; he is godless in his actions and his words ascribe error to Yahweh; he starves the hungry of their food and refuses drink to the thirsty.

6. For the fool speaks folly, and his mind plots iniquity: to practice ungodliness, to utter error concerning the LORD, to leave the craving of the hungry unsatisfied, and to deprive the thirsty of drink.

7. Everything to do with the rascal is evil, he devises infamous plans to ruin the poor with lying words even when the needy has right on his side;

7. The knaveries of the knave are evil; he devises wicked devices to ruin the poor with lying words, even when the plea of the needy is right.

8. but the noble person plans only noble things, noble his every move.

8. But he who is noble devises noble things, and by noble things he stands.

9. Stand up, you haughty women, listen to my words; you over-confident daughters, pay attention to what I say.

9. Rise up, you women who are at ease, hear my voice; you complacent daughters, give ear to my speech.

10. Within one year and a few days you will tremble, you over-confident women; grape-harvesting will be finished, gathering will never happen again.

10. In little more than a year you will shudder, you complacent women; for the vintage will fail, the fruit harvest will not come.

11. Shudder, you haughty women, tremble, you over-confident women; strip, undress, put sackcloth round your waists.

11. Tremble, you women who are at ease, shudder, you complacent ones; strip, and make yourselves bare, and gird sackcloth upon your loins.

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

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

13. for my people's soil where the bramble-bush will be growing and for all the happy houses, for the rejoicing city.

13. for the soil of my people growing up in thorns and briers; yea, for all the joyous houses in the joyful city.

14. For the citadel will be abandoned and the thronged city deserted, Ophel and the Keep will be denuded for ever, the playground of wild donkeys and the pasture of flocks,

14. For the palace will be forsaken, the populous city deserted; the hill and the watchtower will become dens for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks;

15. until the spirit is poured out on us from above, and the desert becomes an orchard, and an orchard that seems like a forest.

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

16. Fair judgement will fix its home in the desert, and uprightness live in this orchard,

16. Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness abide in the fruitful field.

17. and the product of uprightness will be peace, the effect of uprightness being quiet and security for ever.

17. And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust for ever.

18. My people will live in a peaceful home, in peaceful houses, tranquil dwellings.

18. My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.

19. And should the forest be totally destroyed and the city gravely humiliated,

19. And the forest will utterly go down, and the city will be utterly laid low.

20. You will be happy to sow wherever there is water and to let the ox and donkey roam free.

20. Happy are you who sow beside all waters, who let the feet of the ox and the ass range free.