English Standard Version ESV
New International Version NIV
1 Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule in justice.
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See, a king will reign in righteousness and rulers will rule with justice.
2 Each will be like a hiding place from the wind, a shelter from the storm, like streams of water in a dry place, like 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 Then the eyes of those who see will not be closed, and the ears of those who hear will give attention.
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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 heart of the hasty will understand and know, and the tongue of the stammerers will hasten to speak distinctly.
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The fearful heart will know and understand, and the stammering tongue will be fluent and clear.
5 The fool will no more be called noble, nor the scoundrel said to be honorable.
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No longer will the fool be called noble nor the scoundrel be highly respected.
6 For the fool speaks folly, and his heart is busy with iniquity, to practice ungodliness, to utter error concerning the LORD, to leave the craving of the hungry unsatisfied, and to deprive the thirsty of drink.
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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 As for the scoundrel--his devices are evil; he plans wicked schemes to ruin the poor with lying words, even when the plea of the needy is 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 he who is noble plans noble things, and on noble things he stands.
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But the noble make noble plans, and by noble deeds they stand.
9 Rise up, you women who are at ease, hear my voice; you complacent daughters, give ear to 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 In little more than a year you will shudder, you complacent women; for the grape harvest fails, the fruit harvest will 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, you women who are at ease, shudder, you complacent ones; strip, and make yourselves bare, and tie sackcloth around your waist.
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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 Beat your 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 for the soil of my people growing up in thorns and briers, yes, for all the joyous houses in the exultant 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 is forsaken, the populous city deserted; the hill and the watchtower will become dens forever, a joy of wild donkeys, 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 is poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is deemed 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 will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness 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 effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever.
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The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.
18 My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure 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 And it will hail when the forest falls down, and the city will be utterly laid low.
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Though hail flattens the forest and the city is leveled completely,
20 Happy are you who sow beside all waters, who let the feet of the ox and the donkey range free.
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how blessed you will be, sowing your seed by every stream, and letting your cattle and donkeys range free.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
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.