1 Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness,

and princes shall rule in justice.

2 A 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.

3 The eyes of those who see will not be dim,

and the ears of those who hear will listen.

4 The heart of the rash will understand knowledge,

and the tongue of the stammerers will be ready to speak plainly.

5 The fool will no longer be called noble,

nor the scoundrel be highly respected.

6 For 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.

7 The ways of the scoundrel are evil.

He devises wicked plans to destroy the humble with lying words,

even when the needy speaks right.

8 But the noble devises noble things,

and he will continue in noble things.

9 Rise up, you women who are at ease! Hear my voice!

You careless daughters, give ear to my speech!

10 For days beyond a year you will be troubled, you careless women;

for the vintage will fail.

The harvest won’t come.

11 Tremble, you women who are at ease!

Be troubled, you careless ones!

Strip yourselves, make yourselves naked,

and put sackcloth on your waist.

12 Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields,

for the fruitful vine.

13 Thorns and briers will come up on my people’s land;

yes, on all the houses of joy in the joyous city.

14 For 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,

15 until the Spirit is poured on us from on high,

and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field,

and the fruitful field is considered a forest.

16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness;

and righteousness will remain in the fruitful field.

17 The work of righteousness will be peace,

and the effect of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.

18 My people will live in a peaceful habitation,

in safe dwellings,

and in quiet resting places,

19 though hail flattens the forest,

and the city is leveled completely.

20 Blessed are you who sow beside all waters,

who send out the feet of the ox and the donkey.

1 Behold, [one] king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall preside unto judgment.

2 And that Man shall be as a 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 hot land.

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

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

5 The vile person shall no longer be called liberal, nor the greedy said [to be] bountiful.

6 For the vile person will speak villainy, and his heart will invent iniquity to work unrighteousness and to speak scornfully against the LORD, leaving the soul of the hungry empty and taking away the drink of the thirsty.

7 Certainly the greedy [use] evil measures: he devises wicked devices to ensnare the simple with lying words and to speak in judgment [against] the poor.

8 But the liberal devises liberal things; and by liberal things shall he rise.

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

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

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

12 Upon their breasts they shall lament for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine.

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

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

15 until the spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness is turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is counted for a forest.

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

17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness rest and security for ever.

18 And my people shall dwell in a habitation of peace and in secure dwellings and in the refreshing of rest.

19 And the hail, when it shall come down, [shall be] in the forest; and the city shall be completely laid low.

20 Blessed [are] ye that sow upon all waters, ye that plow with the ox and with the ass.: