The Bible in Basic English BBE
New International Version NIV
1 See, a king will be ruling in righteousness, and chiefs will give right decisions.
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See, a king will reign in righteousness and rulers will rule with justice.
2 And a man will be as a safe place from the wind, and a cover from the storm; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shade of a great rock in a waste 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 those who see will not be shut, and those who have hearing will give ear to the word.
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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 The man of sudden impulses will become wise in heart, and he whose tongue is slow will get the power of talking clearly.
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The fearful heart will know and understand, and the stammering tongue will be fluent and clear.
5 The foolish man will no longer be named noble, and they will not say of the false man that he is a man of honour.
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No longer will the fool be called noble nor the scoundrel be highly respected.
6 For the foolish man will say foolish things, having evil thoughts in his heart, working what is unclean, and talking falsely about the Lord, to keep food from him who is in need of it, and water from him whose soul is desiring it.
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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 The designs of the false are evil, purposing the destruction of the poor man by false words, even when he is in the 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-hearted man has noble purposes, and by these he will be guided.
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But the noble make noble plans, and by noble deeds they stand.
9 Give ear to my voice, you women who are living in comfort; give attention to my words, you daughters who have no fear of danger.
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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 In not much more than a year, you, who are not looking for evil, will be troubled: for the produce of the vine-gardens will be cut off, and there will be no getting in of the grapes.
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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 Be shaking with fear, you women who are living in comfort; be troubled, you who have no fear of danger: take off your robes and put on clothing of grief.
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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 Have sorrow for the fields, the pleasing fields, the fertile vine;
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Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vines
13 And for the land of my people, where thorns will come up; even for all the houses of joy in the glad town.
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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 fair houses will have no man living in them; the town which was full of noise will become a waste; the hill and the watchtower will be unpeopled for ever, a joy for the asses of the woods, a place of food for the 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 Till the spirit comes on us from on high, and the waste land becomes a fertile field, and the fertile field is changed into a wood.
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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 in the waste land there will be an upright rule, and righteousness will have its place in the fertile 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 will be peace; and the effect of an upright rule will be to take away fear 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 will be living in peace, in houses where there is no fear, 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 the tall trees will come down with a great fall, and the town will be low in a low place.
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Though hail flattens the forest and the city is leveled completely,
20 Happy are you who are planting seed by all the waters, and sending out 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 Bible in Basic English 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.