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

¶ Behold, one king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall preside unto judgment.

2 A nd 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

6 F or 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.

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

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 B ut the liberal deviseth liberal things; and by liberal things shall he stand.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 T hey shall lament for the teats, for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine.

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

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

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

14 b ecause 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;

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 u ntil 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.

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 T hen judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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