English Standard Version ESV
New Revised Standard NRS
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 princes 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 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.
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 have sight will not be closed, and the ears of those who have hearing 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 minds of the rash will have good judgment, and the tongues of stammerers will speak readily and distinctly.
5 The fool will no more be called noble, nor the scoundrel said to be honorable.
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A fool will no longer be called noble, nor a villain said to be honorable.
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, and their minds plot 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.
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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The villainies of villains are evil; they devise wicked devices to ruin the poor with lying words, even when the plea of the needy is right.
8 But he who is noble plans noble things, and on noble things he stands.
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But those who are noble plan noble things, and by noble things 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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Rise up, you women who are at ease, hear my voice; you complacent daughters, listen to my speech.
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 will shudder, you complacent ones; for the vintage will fail, the fruit harvest 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 women who are at ease, shudder, you complacent ones; strip, and make yourselves bare, and put sackcloth on your loins.
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 vine,
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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for the soil of my people growing up in thorns and briers; yes, for all the joyous houses in the jubilant city.
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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For the palace will be forsaken, the populous city deserted; the hill and the watchtower will become dens forever, the joy of wild asses, 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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until a spirit from on high is poured out on us, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is deemed a forest.
16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness abide in the fruitful field.
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Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness abide in the fruitful field.
17 And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever.
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The effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust 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 abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.
19 And it will hail when the forest falls down, and the city will be utterly laid low.
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The forest will disappear completely, and the city will be utterly laid low.
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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Happy will you be who sow beside every stream, who let the ox and the donkey range freely.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, 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.