Add parallel Print Page Options

Eyes[a] will no longer be blind[b]
and ears[c] will be attentive.
The mind that acts rashly will possess discernment,[d]
and the tongue that stutters will speak with ease and clarity.
A fool will no longer be called honorable;
a deceiver will no longer be called principled.
For a fool speaks disgraceful things;[e]
his mind plans out sinful deeds.[f]
He commits godless deeds[g]
and says misleading things about the Lord;
he gives the hungry nothing to satisfy their appetite[h]
and gives the thirsty nothing to drink.[i]
A deceiver’s methods are evil;[j]
he dreams up evil plans[k]
to ruin the poor with lies,
even when the needy are in the right.[l]
An honorable man makes honorable plans;
his honorable character gives him security.[m]

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 32:3 tn Heb “Eyes that see.”
  2. Isaiah 32:3 tn The Hebrew text as vocalized reads literally “will not gaze,” but this is contradictory to the context. The verb form should be revocalized as תְּשֹׁעֶינָה (teshoʿenah) from שָׁעַע (shʿaʿa, “be blinded”); see Isa 6:10; 29:9.
  3. Isaiah 32:3 tn Heb “ears that hear.”
  4. Isaiah 32:4 tn Heb “the heart of rashness will understand knowledge”; cf. NAB “The flighty will become wise and capable.”
  5. Isaiah 32:6 tn Or “foolishness,” in a moral-ethical sense. See 9:17.
  6. Isaiah 32:6 tn Heb “and his heart commits sin”; KJV, ASV “his heart will work iniquity”; NASB “inclines toward wickedness.”
  7. Isaiah 32:6 tn Heb “in order to do [or “so that he does”] what is godless [or “defiled”].”
  8. Isaiah 32:6 tn Heb “so that he leaves empty the appetite [or “desire”] of the hungry.”
  9. Isaiah 32:6 tn Heb “and the drink of the thirsty he causes to fail.”
  10. Isaiah 32:7 tn Heb “as for a deceiver, his implements [or “weapons”] are evil.”
  11. Isaiah 32:7 tn Or “he plans evil things”; NIV “he makes up evil schemes.”
  12. Isaiah 32:7 tn Heb “to ruin the poor with words of falsehood, even when the needy speak what is just.”
  13. Isaiah 32:8 tn Heb “and he upon honorable things stands.”

Then the eyes of those who see will ·see the truth [not be closed],
    and the ears of those who hear will listen.
·People who are now worried [or Those who are reckless; L The heart of the hasty] will be able to understand.
    ·Those who cannot speak clearly now [The stuttering/stammering tongue] will then be able to speak clearly and quickly.
Fools will not be called ·great [noble; honorable],
    and people will not respect the ·wicked [scoundrel; deceiver].
A fool says foolish things,
    and in his ·mind [heart] he ·plans evil [or commits sin].
A fool ·does things that are wicked [practices ungodliness],
    and he ·says wrong things [spreads error] about the Lord.
A fool does not feed the hungry
    or let thirsty people drink water.
The ·wicked person [scoundrel] uses evil ·like a tool [or schemes; methods].
    He plans ·ways [wicked schemes] to take everything from the poor.
He destroys the poor with lies,
    even when the ·poor person [needy] ·is in the right [L speak justice].
But a ·good leader plans to do good [honorable/noble man plans honorable/noble things],
    and those ·good [honorable; noble] things make him ·a good leader [or stand firm].

Read full chapter