1 B ehold, a king will reign in righteousness, And princes will rule with justice.

Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment.

2 A man will be as a hiding place from the wind, And a cover from the tempest, As rivers of water in a dry place, As the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.

And 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.

3 T he eyes of those who see will not be dim, And the ears of those who hear will listen.

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

4 A lso the heart of the rash will understand knowledge, And the tongue of the stammerers will 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 foolish person will no longer be called generous, Nor the miser said to be bountiful;

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

6 F or the foolish person will speak foolishness, And his heart will work iniquity: To practice ungodliness, To utter error against the Lord, To keep the hungry unsatisfied, And he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.

For 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.

7 A lso the schemes of the schemer are evil; He devises wicked plans To destroy the poor with lying words, Even when the needy speaks justice.

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

8 B ut a generous man devises generous things, And by generosity he shall stand. Consequences of Complacency

But the liberal deviseth liberal things; and by liberal things shall he stand.

9 R ise up, you women who are at ease, Hear my voice; You complacent daughters, Give ear to my speech.

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

10 I n a year and some days You will be troubled, you complacent women; For the vintage will fail, The gathering will not come.

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

11 T remble, you women who are at ease; Be troubled, you complacent ones; Strip yourselves, make yourselves bare, And gird sackcloth on your waists.

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

12 P eople shall mourn upon their breasts For the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine.

They shall lament for the teats, for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine.

13 O n the land of my people will come up thorns and briers, Yes, on all the happy homes in the joyous city;

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

14 B ecause the palaces will be forsaken, The bustling city will be deserted. The forts and towers will become lairs forever, A joy of wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks—

because 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;

15 U ntil the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, And the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, And the fruitful field is counted as a forest. The Peace of God’s Reign

until 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.

16 T hen justice will dwell in the wilderness, And righteousness remain in the fruitful field.

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

17 T he work of righteousness will be peace, And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.

And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.

18 M y people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, In secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places,

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

19 T hough hail comes down on the forest, And the city is brought low in humiliation.

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

20 B lessed are you who sow beside all waters, Who send out freely the feet of the ox and the donkey.

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