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32 Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness,
    and princes shall rule in justice.
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.
The eyes of those who see will not be dim,
    and the ears of those who hear will listen.
The heart of the rash will understand knowledge,
    and the tongue of the stammerers will be ready to speak plainly.
The fool will no longer be called noble,
    nor the scoundrel be highly respected.
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.
The ways of the scoundrel are evil.
    He devises wicked plans to destroy the humble with lying words,
    even when the needy speaks right.
But the noble devises noble things;
    and he will continue in noble things.

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.

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)