^{1 Ref} See, a king will be ruling in righteousness, and chiefs will give right decisions.

^{2 Ref} And a man will be as a safe place from the wind, and a cover from the storm; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shade of a great rock in a waste land.

^{3 Ref} And the eyes of those who see will not be shut, and those who have hearing will give ear to the word.

^{4 Ref} The man of sudden impulses will become wise in heart, and he whose tongue is slow will get the power of talking clearly.

^{5 Ref} The foolish man will no longer be named noble, and they will not say of the false man that he is a man of honour.

^{6 Ref} For the foolish man will say foolish things, having evil thoughts in his heart, working what is unclean, and talking falsely about the Lord, to keep food from him who is in need of it, and water from him whose soul is desiring it.

^{7 Ref} The designs of the false are evil, purposing the destruction of the poor man by false words, even when he is in the right.

^{8 Ref} But the noble-hearted man has noble purposes, and by these he will be guided.

^{9 Ref} Give ear to my voice, you women who are living in comfort; give attention to my words, you daughters who have no fear of danger.

^{10 Ref} In not much more than a year, you, who are not looking for evil, will be troubled: for the produce of the vine-gardens will be cut off, and there will be no getting in of the grapes.

^{11 Ref} Be shaking with fear, you women who are living in comfort; be troubled, you who have no fear of danger: take off your robes and put on clothing of grief.

^{12 Ref} Have sorrow for the fields, the pleasing fields, the fertile vine;

^{13 Ref} And for the land of my people, where thorns will come up; even for all the houses of joy in the glad town.

^{14 Ref} For the fair houses will have no man living in them; the town which was full of noise will become a waste; the hill and the watchtower will be unpeopled for ever, a joy for the asses of the woods, a place of food for the flocks;

^{15 Ref} Till the spirit comes on us from on high, and the waste land becomes a fertile field, and the fertile field is changed into a wood.

^{16 Ref} Then in the waste land there will be an upright rule, and righteousness will have its place in the fertile field.

^{17 Ref} And the work of righteousness will be peace; and the effect of an upright rule will be to take away fear for ever.

^{18 Ref} And my people will be living in peace, in houses where there is no fear, and in quiet resting-places.

^{19 Ref} But the tall trees will come down with a great fall, and the town will be low in a low place.

^{20 Ref} Happy are you who are planting seed by all the waters, and sending out the ox and the ass.

^{1 Ref} Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in justice.

^{2 Ref} And a man shall be as a hiding-place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest, as streams of water in a dry place, as the shade of a great rock in a weary land.

^{3 Ref} And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken.

^{4 Ref} And the heart of the rash shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly.

^{5 Ref} The fool shall be no more called noble, nor the churl said to be bountiful.

^{6 Ref} For the fool will speak folly, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise profaneness, and to utter error against Jehovah, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and to cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.

^{7 Ref} And the instruments of the churl are evil: he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the meek with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right.

^{8 Ref} But the noble deviseth noble things; and in noble things shall he continue.

^{9 Ref} Rise up, ye women that are at ease, `and' hear my voice; ye careless daughters, give ear unto my speech.

^{10 Ref} For days beyond a year shall ye be troubled, ye careless women; for the vintage shall fail, the ingathering shall not come.

^{11 Ref} 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 Ref} They shall smite upon the breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine.

^{13 Ref} Upon the land of my people shall come up thorns and briers; yea, upon all the houses of joy in the joyous city.

^{14 Ref} For the palace shall be forsaken; the populous city shall be deserted; the hill and the watch-tower shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks;

^{15 Ref} until the Spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness become a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be esteemed as a forest.

^{16 Ref} Then justice shall dwell in the wilderness; and righteousness shall abide in the fruitful field.

^{17 Ref} And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness, quietness and confidence for ever.

^{18 Ref} And my people shall abide in a peaceable habitation, and in safe dwellings, and in quiet resting-places.

^{19 Ref} But it shall hail in the downfall of the forest; and the city shall be utterly laid low.

^{20 Ref} Blessed are yet that sow beside all waters, that send forth the feet of the ox and the ass.

^{1 Ref} Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in justice.

^{2 Ref} A man shall be as a hiding-place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest, as streams of water in a dry place, as the shade of a great rock in a weary land.

^{3 Ref} The eyes of those who see shall not be dim, and the ears of those who hear shall listen.

^{4 Ref} The heart of the rash shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly.

^{5 Ref} The fool shall be no more called noble, nor the scoundrel be highly respected.

^{6 Ref} 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 Ref} The instruments of the churl are evil: he devises wicked devices to destroy the humble with lying words, even when the needy speaks right.

^{8 Ref} But the noble devises noble things; and in noble things shall he continue.

^{9 Ref} Rise up, you women who are at ease, [and] hear my voice; you careless daughters, give ear to my speech.

^{10 Ref} For days beyond a year shall you be troubled, you careless women; for the vintage shall fail, the harvest shall not come.

^{11 Ref} Tremble, you women who are at ease; be troubled, you careless ones; strip yourselves, and make yourselves naked, and gird [sackcloth] on your loins.

^{12 Ref} They shall strike on the breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine.

^{13 Ref} On the land of my people shall come up thorns and briers; yes, on all the houses of joy in the joyous city.

^{14 Ref} For the palace shall be forsaken; the populous city shall be deserted; the hill and the watch-tower shall be for dens forever, a joy of wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks;

^{15 Ref} until the Spirit be poured on us from on high, and the wilderness become a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be esteemed as a forest.

^{16 Ref} Then justice shall dwell in the wilderness; and righteousness shall abide in the fruitful field.

^{17 Ref} The work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.

^{18 Ref} My people shall abide in a peaceable habitation, and in safe dwellings, and in quiet resting-places.

^{19 Ref} But it shall hail in the downfall of the forest; and the city shall be utterly laid low.

^{20 Ref} Blessed are you who sow beside all waters, who send forth the feet of the ox and the donkey.