Isaiah 32
World English Bible
32 Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness,
and princes shall rule in justice.
2 A man shall be as a hiding place from the wind,
and a covert from the storm,
as streams of water in a dry place,
as the shade of a large rock in a weary land.
3 The eyes of those who see will not be dim,
and the ears of those who hear will listen.
4 The heart of the rash will understand knowledge,
and the tongue of the stammerers will be ready to speak plainly.
5 The fool will no longer be called noble,
nor the scoundrel be highly respected.
6 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 The ways of the scoundrel are evil.
He devises wicked plans to destroy the humble with lying words,
even when the needy speaks right.
8 But the noble devises noble things;
and he will continue in noble things.
9 Rise up, you women who are at ease! Hear my voice!
You careless daughters, give ear to my speech!
10 For days beyond a year you will be troubled, you careless women;
for the vintage will fail.
The harvest won’t come.
11 Tremble, you women who are at ease!
Be troubled, you careless ones!
Strip yourselves, make yourselves naked,
and put sackcloth on your waist.
12 Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields,
for the fruitful vine.
13 Thorns and briers will come up on my people’s land;
yes, on all the houses of joy in the joyous city.
14 For the palace will be forsaken.
The populous city will be deserted.
The hill and the watchtower will be for dens forever,
a delight for wild donkeys,
a pasture of flocks,
15 until the Spirit is poured on us from on high,
and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field,
and the fruitful field is considered a forest.
16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness;
and righteousness will remain in the fruitful field.
17 The work of righteousness will be peace,
and the effect of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.
18 My people will live in a peaceful habitation,
in safe dwellings,
and in quiet resting places,
19 though hail flattens the forest,
and the city is leveled completely.
20 Blessed are you who sow beside all waters,
who send out the feet of the ox and the donkey.
Isaiah 32
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Government with Justice Predicted
32 See, a king will reign in righteousness,
and princes[a] will rule with justice.(A)
2 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.(B)
3 Then the eyes of those who have sight will not be closed,
and the ears of those who have hearing will listen.(C)
4 The minds of the rash will have good judgment,
and the tongues of stammerers will speak readily and distinctly.(D)
5 A fool will no longer be called noble
nor a villain said to be honorable.(E)
6 For fools speak folly,
and their minds plot 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.(F)
7 The villainies of villains are evil;
they devise wicked devices
to ruin the poor with lying words,
even when the plea of the needy is right.(G)
8 But those who are noble plan noble things,
and by noble things they stand.(H)
Complacent Women Warned of Disaster
9 Rise up, you women who are at ease, hear my voice;
you complacent daughters, listen to my speech.(I)
10 In little more than a year
you will shudder, you complacent ones,
for the vintage will fail;
the fruit harvest will not come.(J)
11 Tremble, you women who are at ease;
shudder, you complacent ones;
strip and make yourselves bare,
and put sackcloth on your loins.(K)
12 Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields,[b]
for the fruitful vine,(L)
13 for the soil of my people
growing up in thorns and briers,
yes, for all the joyous houses
in the jubilant city.(M)
14 For the palace will be forsaken,
the populous city deserted;
the hill and the watchtower
will become dens forever,
the joy of wild asses,
a pasture for flocks;(N)
15 until a spirit from on high is poured out on us,
and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field,
and the fruitful field is deemed a forest.(O)
The Peace of God’s Reign
16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness
and righteousness abide in the fruitful field.(P)
17 The effect of righteousness will be peace,
and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever.(Q)
18 My people will abide in a peaceful habitation,
in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.
19 The forest will disappear completely,[c]
and the city will be utterly laid low.(R)
20 Happy will you be who sow beside every stream,
who let the ox and the donkey range freely.(S)
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