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

See, a king will rule by what is right and good and princes will be fair.

2 A nd 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.

Each will be like a safe place from the wind, and a covering from the storm. Each will be like rivers of water in a dry country, and like the shadow of a large rock in a waste land.

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

Then the eyes of those who see will be able to see. And the ears of those who hear will listen.

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

The mind of those who act in a hurry will understand the truth. And the tongue of those who have trouble speaking will hurry to speak well.

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

The fool will no more be called great. The bad man will no more be called a man of honor.

6 F or 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.

For a fool speaks foolish things. His mind plans wrong-doing, to sin and to say false things against the Lord, to keep the hungry person hungry, and to keep drink from the thirsty.

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

The ways of the bad man are sinful. He makes sinful plans to destroy the suffering with lies, even when the one in need asks for what is right.

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

But the man of honor makes good plans, and he stands for what is good. The Women of Jerusalem

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

Rise up, you women who live an easy life, and hear my voice. Listen to what I say, you daughters.

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

In a little more than a year, you will be troubled. There will be no grapes to gather, the wine will not be made.

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

Shake with fear, you women who live an easy life. Be troubled, you daughters, who feel safe. Take off your clothes and cover your bodies with cloth made from hair.

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

Beat your breasts for the good fields, for the vine full of fruit,

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

and for the land of my people in which thorns and thistles will come up. Yes, be sorry for all the houses of joy, and for the happy city,

14 B ecause 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;

because the king’s house will be empty. The city full of people will be left empty. The hill and the watch-tower will become a place for wild animals forever, a happy place for wild donkeys, a field for flocks.

15 u ntil 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.

It will be this way until the Spirit is poured out upon us from heaven, and the desert becomes a field giving so much fruit, that it seems as if it has many trees.

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

Then what is right and fair will be in the desert. What is right and good will be in the field of much fruit.

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

The work of being right and good will give peace. From the right and good work will come quiet trust forever.

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

Then my people will live in a place of peace, in safe homes, and in quiet resting places.

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

But it will hail when the many trees come down and all the city will be laid waste.

20 B lessed are ye that sow upon all waters, ye that plow with the ox and with the ass.

How happy will you be, you who plant seeds beside all waters, and let the cattle and donkeys eat in any field.