Revised Standard Version RSV
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 covert from the tempest, 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 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 The mind of the rash will have good judgment, and the tongue of the stammerers will speak readily and 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 knave 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 mind plots 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 The knaveries of the knave are evil; he devises wicked devices 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 devises noble things, and by 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 vintage will fail, 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 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 Beat upon 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; yea, for all the joyous houses in the joyful 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 will be forsaken, the populous city deserted; the hill and the watchtower will become 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 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 for ever.
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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 the forest will utterly go 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 ass 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.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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.