1 Kyk, 'n koning sal regeer in geregtigheid, en die vorste sal heers volgens reg.
2 En elkeen sal wees soos 'n toevlug teen die wind en 'n skuiling teen die stortreën, soos waterstrome in 'n dor streek, soos die skaduwee van 'n swaar rots in 'n land wat versmag.
3 Dan sal nie meer verblind wees die oë van die wat sien nie; en die ore van hulle wat hoor, sal luister;
4 en die hart van die onbedagsames sal leer om te verstaan, en die tong van die hakkelaars sal gou wees om duidelik te spreek;
5 die dwaas sal nie meer 'n edele genoem word nie, en van die skelm sal nie gesê word dat hy vernaam is nie.
6 Want 'n dwaas spreek dwaasheid en sy hart bring onheil voort, deur goddeloosheid te bedrywe en dwaling te spreek oor die HERE, deur die begeerte van die hongerige onvervuld te laat en die drank van die dorstige te laat ontbreek.
7 En die skelm -- sy middele is sleg, hy beraam skandelike dade om die ellendiges te ru‹neer met leuentaal, ook as die behoeftige spreek wat reg is.
8 Maar die edele beraam edele dade, en hy hou stand in wat edel is.
9 Staan op, geruste vroue, hoor my stem! Sorgelose dogters, luister na my woord!
10 'n Jaar en 'n paar dae -- en julle sal sidder, sorgelose dogters! Want dit is gedaan met die druiwe-oes, daar sal geen insameling van vrugte kom nie.
11 Bewe, geruste vroue! Sidder, sorgelose dogters! Trek julle uit, ontbloot julle en gord rougewade om julle lendene.
12 Hulle slaan op die bors vanweë die begeerlike velde, vanweë die vrugbare wingerdstok;
13 vanweë die akkers van my volk wat met dorings en distels opskiet, ja, vanweë al die huise van vreugde van die uitgelate stad.
14 Want die paleis is verlate, die stadsgewoel is in eensaamheid verander; die Heuwel en die Wagtoring dien as spelonke vir ewig, 'n vreugde vir die wilde-esels, 'n weiveld vir die troppe vee --
15 totdat oor ons uitgegiet word die Gees uit die hoogte; dan word die woestyn 'n vrugteboord, en die vrugteboord self word vir 'n bos gereken.
16 En die reg woon in die woestyn, en die geregtigheid hou verblyf in die vrugteboord.
17 En die werking van die geregtigheid sal vrede wees, en die voortbrengsel van die geregtigheid rus en veiligheid tot in ewigheid.
18 En my volk sal woon in 'n plek van vrede en in veilige wonings en in plekke van ongestoorde rus.
19 Maar dit sal hael as die bos inmekaarstort en die stad wegsak in die laagte.
20 Welgeluksalig is julle wat by alle waters saai, wat die voet van os en esel vry laat loop!
1 See, a king will be ruling in righteousness, and chiefs will give right decisions.
2 And a man will be as a safe place from the wind, and a cover from the storm; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shade of a great rock in a waste land.
3 And the eyes of those who see will not be shut, and those who have hearing will give ear to the word.
4 The man of sudden impulses will become wise in heart, and he whose tongue is slow will get the power of talking clearly.
5 The foolish man will no longer be named noble, and they will not say of the false man that he is a man of honour.
6 For the foolish man will say foolish things, having evil thoughts in his heart, working what is unclean, and talking falsely about the Lord, to keep food from him who is in need of it, and water from him whose soul is desiring it.
7 The designs of the false are evil, purposing the destruction of the poor man by false words, even when he is in the right.
8 But the noble-hearted man has noble purposes, and by these he will be guided.
9 Give ear to my voice, you women who are living in comfort; give attention to my words, you daughters who have no fear of danger.
10 In not much more than a year, you, who are not looking for evil, will be troubled: for the produce of the vine-gardens will be cut off, and there will be no getting in of the grapes.
11 Be shaking with fear, you women who are living in comfort; be troubled, you who have no fear of danger: take off your robes and put on clothing of grief.
12 Have sorrow for the fields, the pleasing fields, the fertile vine;
13 And for the land of my people, where thorns will come up; even for all the houses of joy in the glad town.
14 For the fair houses will have no man living in them; the town which was full of noise will become a waste; the hill and the watchtower will be unpeopled for ever, a joy for the asses of the woods, a place of food for the flocks;
15 Till the spirit comes on us from on high, and the waste land becomes a fertile field, and the fertile field is changed into a wood.
16 Then in the waste land there will be an upright rule, and righteousness will have its place in the fertile field.
17 And the work of righteousness will be peace; and the effect of an upright rule will be to take away fear for ever.
18 And my people will be living in peace, in houses where there is no fear, and in quiet resting-places.
19 But the tall trees will come down with a great fall, and the town will be low in a low place.
20 Happy are you who are planting seed by all the waters, and sending out the ox and the ass.