The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
New International Version NIV
1 There is coming a king who will reign justly and princes who will rule uprightly.
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See, a king will reign in righteousness and rulers will rule with justice.
2 A man will be like a refuge from the wind, like protection from a storm, like streams of water on arid ground, like a rock cliff shading 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 The eyes of those seeing will not be closed, the ears of those hearing will pay close 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 minds of the impetuous will learn to weigh carefully, the tongues of the stutterers will speak readily and clearly.
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The fearful heart will know and understand, and the stammering tongue will be fluent and clear.
5 The mean person will no longer be called generous, or the miserly said to be noble;
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No longer will the fool be called noble nor the scoundrel be highly respected.
6 for the mean person will speak meanness, his heart planning evil, so that he can act godlessly, spreading error concerning ADONAI, as he lets the hungry go on starving and deprives 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 mean person's means are mean - he devises wicked devices to ruin the poor and needy with lies, even when their cause is just.
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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 generous person devises generous things, and his generosity will keep him standing.
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But the noble make noble plans, and by noble deeds they stand.
9 You women who are so complacent, listen to me! Overconfident women, pay attention to my words!
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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 a year and a few days more, you overconfident women will shudder, because the vintage will fail, the 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 complacent women! Shudder, you overconfident women! Strip bare, wear sackcloth to cover yourselves.
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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 in mourning for the pleasant fields and fruitful vines,
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Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vines
13 for the land of my people, producing thorns and briars, for all the happy homes 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 abandoned, the crowded city deserted, 'Ofel and fortress wastelands forever, a delight for wild donkeys and a pasture for 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 is poured out on us from above, and the desert becomes a fertile field, with the fertile field regarded 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 will dwell in the desert, and righteousness abide 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 The effect of righteousness will be peace; the result of righteousness, quiet 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 live in a peaceful place, in secure neighborhoods and tranquil dwellings.
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My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.
19 Just as the forest will surely come down, the city will surely be laid low.
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Though hail flattens the forest and the city is leveled completely,
20 Happy are you who sow by all streams, letting oxen and donkeys roam freely.
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how blessed you will be, sowing your seed by every stream, and letting your cattle and donkeys range free.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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.