American Standard Version ASV
New International Version NIV
1 Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in justice.
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See, a king will reign in righteousness and rulers will rule with justice.
2 And a man shall be as a hiding-place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest, as streams of water in a dry place, as the shade of a great rock in a weary land.
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Each one will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land.
3 And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken.
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Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed, and the ears of those who hear will listen.
4 And the heart of the rash shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly.
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The fearful heart will know and understand, and the stammering tongue will be fluent and clear.
5 The fool shall be no more called noble, nor the churl said to be bountiful.
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No longer will the fool be called noble nor the scoundrel be highly respected.
6 For the fool will speak folly, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise profaneness, and to utter error against Jehovah, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and to cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.
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For fools speak folly, their hearts are bent on evil: They practice ungodliness and spread error concerning the LORD; the hungry they leave empty and from the thirsty they withhold water.
7 And the instruments of the churl are evil: he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the meek with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right.
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Scoundrels use wicked methods, they make up evil schemes to destroy the poor with lies, even when the plea of the needy is just.
8 But the noble deviseth noble things; and in noble things shall he continue.
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But the noble make noble plans, and by noble deeds they stand.
9 Rise up, ye women that are at ease, [and] hear my voice; ye careless daughters, give ear unto my speech.
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You women who are so complacent, rise up and listen to me; you daughters who feel secure, hear what I have to say!
10 For days beyond a year shall ye be troubled, ye careless women; for the vintage shall fail, the ingathering shall not come.
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In little more than a year you who feel secure will tremble; the grape harvest will fail, and the harvest of fruit will not come.
11 Tremble, ye women that are at ease; be troubled, ye careless ones; strip you, and make you bare, and gird [sackcloth] upon your loins.
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Tremble, you complacent women; shudder, you daughters who feel secure! Strip off your fine clothes and wrap yourselves in rags.
12 They shall smite upon the breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine.
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Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vines
13 Upon the land of my people shall come up thorns and briers; yea, upon all the houses of joy in the joyous city.
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and for the land of my people, a land overgrown with thorns and briers— yes, mourn for all houses of merriment and for this city of revelry.
14 For the palace shall be forsaken; the populous city shall be deserted; the hill and the watch-tower shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks;
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The fortress will be abandoned, the noisy city deserted; citadel and watchtower will become a wasteland forever, the delight of donkeys, a pasture for flocks,
15 until the Spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness become a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be esteemed as a forest.
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till the Spirit is poured on us from on high, and the desert becomes a fertile field, and the fertile field seems like a forest.
16 Then justice shall dwell in the wilderness; and righteousness shall abide in the fruitful field.
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The LORD’s justice will dwell in the desert, his righteousness live in the fertile field.
17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness, quietness and confidence for ever.
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The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.
18 And my people shall abide in a peaceable habitation, and in safe dwellings, and in quiet resting-places.
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My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.
19 But it shall hail in the downfall of the forest; and the city shall be utterly laid low.
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Though hail flattens the forest and the city is leveled completely,
20 Blessed are yet that sow beside all waters, that send forth the feet of the ox and the ass.
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how blessed you will be, sowing your seed by every stream, and letting your cattle and donkeys range free.
The American Standard Version is in the public domain.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.