1Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, and rulers will govern with justice.
2Each one will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm; like streams of water in a dry land, like the shade of a great rock in a weary land.
3The eyes of those who see will not be closed, and the ears of those who hear will listen.
4The mind of the rash will understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers will hasten to speak clearly.
5The fool will no longer be called noble, nor the scoundrel be highly respected.
6For the fool speaks folly, and his heart plans iniquity, to do what is godless 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 devices 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 carefree daughters, give ear to my speech!
10For days beyond a year you will be troubled, you carefree women, for the vintage will fail. The harvest will not come.
11Tremble, you women who are at ease! Be troubled, you carefree 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 briars 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 reside in the fruitful field.
17The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness will be 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.
REV Bible
