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32 There is coming a king who will reign justly
and princes who will rule uprightly.
A man will be like a refuge from the wind,
like protection from a storm,
like streams of water on arid ground,
like a rock cliff shading a weary land.
The eyes of those seeing will not be closed,
the ears of those hearing will pay close attention.
The minds of the impetuous will learn to weigh carefully,
the tongues of the stutterers will speak readily and clearly.

The mean person will no longer be called generous,
or the miserly said to be noble;
for the mean person will speak meanness,
his heart planning evil, so that he can act godlessly,
spreading error concerning Adonai,
as he lets the hungry go on starving
and deprives the thirsty of drink.
The mean person’s means are mean —
he devises wicked devices
to ruin the poor and needy with lies,
even when their cause is just.
But the generous person devises generous things,
and his generosity will keep him standing.

You women who are so complacent, listen to me!
Overconfident women, pay attention to my words!
10 In a year and a few days more,
you overconfident women will shudder,
because the vintage will fail,
the harvest will not come.
11 Tremble, you complacent women!
Shudder, you overconfident women!
Strip bare, wear sackcloth to cover yourselves.
12 Beat your breasts in mourning
for the pleasant fields and fruitful vines,
13 for the land of my people, producing thorns and briars,
for all the happy homes in the joyful city.
14 For the palace will be abandoned,
the crowded city deserted,
‘Ofel and fortress wastelands forever,
a delight for wild donkeys and a pasture for flocks —
15 till the Spirit is poured out on us from above,
and the desert becomes a fertile field,
with the fertile field regarded as a forest.
16 Then justice will dwell in the desert,
and righteousness abide in the fertile field.
17 The effect of righteousness will be peace;
the result of righteousness, quiet trust forever.
18 My people will live in a peaceful place,
in secure neighborhoods and tranquil dwellings.
19 Just as the forest will surely come down,
the city will surely be laid low.
20 Happy are you who sow by all streams,
letting oxen and donkeys roam freely.

Chapter 32

The Kingdom of Justice

See, a king will reign justly
    and princes will rule rightly.(A)
Each of them will be like a shelter from the wind,
    a refuge from the rain.
They will be like streams of water in a dry country,
    like the shade of a great rock in a parched land.(B)
The eyes of those who see will not be closed;
    the ears of those who hear will be attentive.(C)
The hasty of heart shall take thought to know,
    and tongues of stutterers shall speak readily and clearly.
No more will the fool be called noble,
    nor the deceiver be considered honorable.(D)
For the fool speaks folly,
    his heart plans evil:
Godless actions,
    perverse speech against the Lord,
Letting the hungry go empty
    and the thirsty without drink.(E)
The deceits of the deceiver are evil,
    he plans devious schemes:
To ruin the poor with lies,
    and the needy when they plead their case.(F)
But the noble plan noble deeds,
    and in noble deeds they persist.

The Women of Jerusalem

You women so complacent, rise up and hear my voice,
    daughters so confident, give heed to my words.(G)
10 In a little more than a year
    your confidence will be shaken;
For the vintage will fail,
    no fruit harvest will come in.(H)
11 Tremble, you who are so complacent!
    Shudder, you who are so confident!
Strip yourselves bare,
    with only a loincloth for cover.(I)
12 Beat your breasts
    for the pleasant fields,
    for the fruitful vine;(J)
13 For the soil of my people,
    overgrown with thorns and briers;
For all the joyful houses,
    the exultant city.(K)
14 The castle[a] will be forsaken,
    the noisy city deserted;
Citadel and tower will become wasteland forever,
    the joy of wild donkeys, the pasture of flocks;(L)
15 [b]Until the spirit from on high
    is poured out on us.
And the wilderness becomes a garden land
    and the garden land seems as common as forest.(M)
16 Then judgment will dwell in the wilderness
    and justice abide in the garden land.
17 The work of justice will be peace;
    the effect of justice, calm and security forever.(N)
18 My people will live in peaceful country,
    in secure dwellings and quiet resting places.(O)
19 And the forest will come down completely,
    the city will be utterly laid low.[c](P)
20 Happy are you who sow beside every stream,
    and let the ox and the donkey go freely!(Q)

Footnotes

  1. 32:14 The castle: the fortified royal palace in Jerusalem. Citadel: Ophel, the fortified hill, with its stronghold called “the great projecting tower” (Neh 3:27).
  2. 32:15–18, 20 Extraordinary peace and prosperity will come to Israel under just rulers.
  3. 32:19 Probably from a different context, perhaps after v. 14a.

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)