The Glorious Future

32 Behold, a (A)king will reign righteously
And princes will rule justly.
Each will be like a (B)refuge from the wind
And a shelter from the storm,
Like [a](C)streams of water in a dry country,
Like the (D)shade of a [b]huge rock in [c]a parched land.
Then (E)the eyes of those who see will not be [d]blinded,
And the ears of those who hear will listen.
The [e]mind of the (F)hasty will discern the [f]truth,
And the tongue of the stammerers will hasten to speak clearly.
No longer will the (G)fool be called noble,
Or the rogue be spoken of as generous.
For a fool speaks nonsense,
And his heart [g](H)inclines toward wickedness:
To practice (I)ungodliness and to speak error against the Lord,
To [h](J)keep the hungry person unsatisfied
And [i]to withhold drink from the thirsty.
As for a rogue, his weapons are evil;
He (K)devises wicked schemes
To (L)destroy the afflicted with [j]slander,
(M)Even though the needy one speaks [k]what is right.
But (N)the noble man devises noble plans;
And by noble plans he stands.

Rise up, you (O)women who are at ease,
And hear my voice;
(P)Give ear to my word,
You complacent daughters.
10 Within a year and a few days
You will be troubled, O complacent daughters;
(Q)For the vintage is ended,
And the fruit gathering will not come.
11 Tremble, you women who are at ease;
(R)Be troubled, you complacent daughters;
(S)Strip, undress and put sackcloth on your waist,
12 (T)Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine,
13 (U)For the land of my people in which thorns and briars shall come up;
Yea, for all the joyful houses and for the (V)jubilant city.
14 Because (W)the palace has been abandoned, the [l]populated (X)city forsaken.
[m]Hill and watch-tower have become (Y)caves forever,
A delight for (Z)wild donkeys, a pasture for flocks;
15 Until the (AA)Spirit is poured out upon us from on high,
And the wilderness becomes a (AB)fertile field,
And the fertile field is considered as a forest.
16 Then (AC)justice will dwell in the wilderness
And righteousness will abide in the fertile field.
17 And the (AD)work of righteousness will be peace,
And the service of righteousness, (AE)quietness and [n]confidence forever.
18 Then my people will live in a (AF)peaceful habitation,
And in secure dwellings and in undisturbed (AG)resting places;
19 And it will (AH)hail when the (AI)forest comes down,
And (AJ)the city will be utterly laid low.
20 How (AK)blessed will you be, you who sow beside all waters,
Who [o]let out freely the ox and the donkey.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 32:2 Lit canals
  2. Isaiah 32:2 Lit heavy
  3. Isaiah 32:2 Lit an exhausted
  4. Isaiah 32:3 Or turned away
  5. Isaiah 32:4 Lit heart
  6. Isaiah 32:4 Lit knowledge
  7. Isaiah 32:6 Or does
  8. Isaiah 32:6 Lit make empty the hungry soul
  9. Isaiah 32:6 Lit he causes to lack
  10. Isaiah 32:7 Lit words of falsehood
  11. Isaiah 32:7 Lit justly
  12. Isaiah 32:14 Lit multitude of the
  13. Isaiah 32:14 Or Ophel
  14. Isaiah 32:17 Or security
  15. Isaiah 32:20 Lit send out the foot of the ox

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)