公義的君王

32 看啊,必有一位君王以公義治國,

官員們必秉公施政。
每人都像躲避狂風暴雨的庇護所,
如荒漠中的溪流,
又似乾旱之地遮蔭的大磐石。
人們的眼睛必不再迷濛,
耳朵必能聽見。
急躁的人必慎思明辨,
口吃的人必說話清楚流利。
愚昧人必不再被奉為尊貴之人,
惡棍必不再受尊重。
因為愚昧人說愚昧話,
心裡邪惡,行事不義,
褻瀆耶和華,
使饑餓的人沒飯吃,
使口渴的人沒水喝。
惡棍們手段邪惡,
用陰謀詭計和謊言毀滅困苦的人,
即使窮人的訴求有理也是枉然。
高尚的人計劃高尚的事,
在高尚的事上持之以恆。
生活安逸的婦女啊,
來聽我的聲音!
無憂無慮的女子啊,
要側耳聽我的言語!
10 無憂無慮的女子啊,
再過一年多,
你們必因恐懼而戰抖。
那時,必沒有葡萄可摘,
沒有果子可收。
11 生活安逸的婦女啊,戰抖吧!
無憂無慮的女子啊,顫慄吧!
你們要脫下衣服,
腰束麻布,
12 為美好的田地和碩果纍纍的葡萄樹捶胸痛哭吧!
13 為我百姓那長滿荊棘和蒺藜的土地,
為那曾經充滿歡樂的城邑和家庭哀哭吧!
14 王宮必被遺棄,
繁榮的城邑必荒蕪,
山岡和瞭望塔必永遠成為野驢的樂園、羊群的草場。
15 等到聖靈從上面澆灌我們的時候,
曠野要變為沃野,
沃野上莊稼茂密如林。
16 那時,公平必充滿曠野,
公義必遍佈沃野。
17 公義必帶來平安,
公義所結的果子是永遠的和平與安寧。
18 我的子民必住在平安之地、
安穩之處、平靜之所。
19 但冰雹必掃平森林,蕩平城邑。
20 你們這些在河邊撒種、自由地牧放牛驢的人有福了!

公義之王

32 看哪!必有一王憑公義執政,

必有眾領袖按公平治理。

必有一人像避風所,

和避暴雨的隱密處,

像乾旱之地的溪水,

又像疲乏之地的大磐石的陰影。

那時,能看見事物者的眼睛,必不再昏暗;

能聽到事物者的耳朵,必然傾聽。

性急者的心必明白知識,

口吃者的舌頭必說話清楚。

愚頑人不再被稱為高尚,

惡棍也不再被稱為大方。

因為愚頑人說的是愚頑話,

他心裡所想的是罪孽,

慣行褻瀆 神的事,說錯謬的話攻擊耶和華,

使飢餓的人仍空著肚子,

使口渴的人仍無水可喝。

至於惡棍,他的手段是邪惡的,

他圖謀惡計,

用虛假的言語毀滅困苦的人,

即使在窮乏人講公理的時候,他也是這樣。

高尚的人卻籌謀高尚的事,

他也必堅持這些高尚的事。

預言審判與復興

安逸的婦女啊!你們要起來,

聽我的聲音;

無憂無慮的女子啊!

你們要側耳聽我的話。

10 無憂無慮的女子啊!再過一年多,

你們就必受困擾,

因為沒有葡萄可摘,

收禾稼的日子也沒有來。

11 安逸的婦女啊!你們要受震驚。

無憂無慮的女子啊!你們要受困擾了,

脫去衣服,赤著身子,以麻布束腰吧。

12 你們要為美好的田地和多結果子的葡萄樹搥胸哀哭。

13 也為那些在我子民的土地上長起來的荊棘和蒺藜而哀哭,

為那歡樂的城和所有快樂的房屋,也是這樣。

14 因為宮殿必被丟棄,熱鬧的城市也被撇下,

山岡和守望樓必永遠成為洞穴,

作了野驢喜歡的地方和羊群的草場。

15 等到聖靈從高處傾倒在我們身上,

曠野變為肥田,

肥田被看為樹林的時候,

16 公平就必居在曠野中,

公義必住在肥田裡。

17 公義的果效必是平安,

公義的效驗必是平靜與安穩,直到永遠。

18 那時,我的子民必住在平安的居所,

安穩的住處,不受騷擾的安息之處。

19 但在敵人的國土中,必有冰雹降下,打倒他們的樹林,

他們的城必被夷平。

20 你們這些在各水邊撒種,

又使牛驢隨意走動的,是多麼有福啊!

Government with Justice Predicted

32 Behold, a king will reign in righteousness,
    and princes will rule in justice.
Each will be like a hiding place from the wind,
    a covert from the tempest,
like streams of water in a dry place,
    like the shade of a great rock in a weary land.
Then the eyes of those who see will not be closed,
    and the ears of those who hear will hearken.
The mind of the rash will have good judgment,
    and the tongue of the stammerers will speak readily and distinctly.
The fool will no more be called noble,
    nor the knave said to be honorable.
For the fool speaks folly,
    and his mind plots iniquity:
to practice ungodliness,
    to utter error concerning the Lord,
to leave the craving of the hungry unsatisfied,
    and to deprive the thirsty of drink.
The knaveries of the knave are evil;
    he devises wicked devices
to ruin the poor with lying words,
    even when the plea of the needy is right.
But he who is noble devises noble things,
    and by noble things he stands.

Complacent Women Warned of Disaster

Rise up, you women who are at ease, hear my voice;
    you complacent daughters, give ear to my speech.
10 In little more than a year
    you will shudder, you complacent women;
for the vintage will fail,
    the fruit harvest will not come.
11 Tremble, you women who are at ease,
    shudder, you complacent ones;
strip, and make yourselves bare,
    and gird sackcloth upon your loins.
12 Beat upon your breasts for the pleasant fields,
    for the fruitful vine,
13 for the soil of my people
    growing up in thorns and briers;
yea, for all the joyous houses
    in the joyful city.
14 For the palace will be forsaken,
    the populous city deserted;
the hill and the watchtower
    will become dens for ever,
a joy of wild asses,
    a pasture of flocks;
15 until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high,
    and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field,
    and the fruitful field is deemed a forest.

The Peace of God’s Reign

16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness,
    and righteousness abide in the fruitful field.
17 And the effect of righteousness will be peace,
    and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust for ever.
18 My people will abide in a peaceful habitation,
    in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.
19 And the forest will utterly go down,[a]
    and the city will be utterly laid low.
20 Happy are you who sow beside all waters,
    who let the feet of the ox and the ass range free.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 32:19 Cn: Heb And it will hail when the forest comes down

The Kingdom of Righteousness

32 See, a king(A) will reign in righteousness
    and rulers will rule with justice.(B)
Each one will be like a shelter(C) from the wind
    and a refuge from the storm,(D)
like streams of water(E) in the desert(F)
    and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land.

Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed,(G)
    and the ears(H) of those who hear will listen.
The fearful heart will know and understand,(I)
    and the stammering tongue(J) will be fluent and clear.
No longer will the fool(K) be called noble
    nor the scoundrel be highly respected.
For fools speak folly,(L)
    their hearts are bent on evil:(M)
They practice ungodliness(N)
    and spread error(O) concerning the Lord;
the hungry they leave empty(P)
    and from the thirsty they withhold water.
Scoundrels use wicked methods,(Q)
    they make up evil schemes(R)
to destroy the poor with lies,
    even when the plea of the needy(S) is just.(T)
But the noble make noble plans,
    and by noble deeds(U) they stand.(V)

The Women of Jerusalem

You women(W) who are so complacent,
    rise up and listen(X) to me;
you daughters who feel secure,(Y)
    hear what I have to say!
10 In little more than a year(Z)
    you who feel secure will tremble;
the grape harvest will fail,(AA)
    and the harvest of fruit will not come.
11 Tremble,(AB) you complacent women;
    shudder, you daughters who feel secure!(AC)
Strip off your fine clothes(AD)
    and wrap yourselves in rags.(AE)
12 Beat your breasts(AF) for the pleasant fields,
    for the fruitful vines(AG)
13 and for the land of my people,
    a land overgrown with thorns and briers(AH)
yes, mourn(AI) for all houses of merriment
    and for this city of revelry.(AJ)
14 The fortress(AK) will be abandoned,
    the noisy city deserted;(AL)
citadel and watchtower(AM) will become a wasteland forever,
    the delight of donkeys,(AN) a pasture for flocks,(AO)
15 till the Spirit(AP) is poured on us from on high,
    and the desert becomes a fertile field,(AQ)
    and the fertile field seems like a forest.(AR)
16 The Lord’s justice(AS) will dwell in the desert,(AT)
    his righteousness(AU) live in the fertile field.
17 The fruit of that righteousness(AV) will be peace;(AW)
    its effect will be quietness and confidence(AX) forever.
18 My people will live in peaceful(AY) dwelling places,
    in secure homes,(AZ)
    in undisturbed places of rest.(BA)
19 Though hail(BB) flattens the forest(BC)
    and the city is leveled(BD) completely,
20 how blessed you will be,
    sowing(BE) your seed by every stream,(BF)
    and letting your cattle and donkeys range free.(BG)