Good News Translation GNT
World English Bible WEB
1 Some day there will be a king who rules with integrity, and national leaders who govern with justice.
1
Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in justice.
2 Each of them will be like a shelter from the wind and a place to hide from storms. They will be like streams flowing in a desert, like the shadow of a giant rock in a barren land.
2
A man shall be as a hiding-place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest, as streams of water in a dry place, as the shade of a great rock in a weary land.
3 Their eyes and ears will be open to the needs of the people.
3
The eyes of those who see shall not be dim, and the ears of those who hear shall listen.
4 They will not be impatient any longer, but they will act with understanding and will say what they mean.
4
The heart of the rash shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly.
5 No one will think that a fool is honorable or say that a scoundrel is honest.
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The fool shall be no more called noble, nor the scoundrel be highly respected.
6 A fool speaks foolishly and thinks up evil things to do. What he does and what he says are an insult to the Lord, and he never feeds the hungry or gives thirsty people anything to drink.
6
For the fool will speak folly, and his heart will work iniquity, to practice profanity, and to utter error against Yahweh, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and to cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.
7 A stupid person is evil and does evil things; he plots to ruin the poor with lies and to keep them from getting their rights.
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The instruments of the churl are evil: he devises wicked devices to destroy the humble with lying words, even when the needy speaks right.
8 But an honorable person acts honestly and stands firm for what is right.
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But the noble devises noble things; and in noble things shall he continue.
9 You women who live an easy life, free from worries, listen to what I am saying.
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Rise up, you women who are at ease, [and] hear my voice; you careless daughters, give ear to my speech.
10 You may be satisfied now, but this time next year you will be in despair because there will be no grapes for you to gather.
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For days beyond a year shall you be troubled, you careless women; for the vintage shall fail, the harvest shall not come.
11 You have been living an easy life, free from worries; but now, tremble with fear! Strip off your clothes and tie rags around your waist.
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Tremble, you women who are at ease; be troubled, you careless ones; strip yourselves, and make yourselves naked, and gird [sackcloth] on your loins.
12 Beat your breasts in grief because the fertile fields and the vineyards have been destroyed,
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They shall strike on the breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine.
13 and thorn bushes and briers are growing on my people's land. Weep for all the houses where people were happy and for the city that was full of life.
13
On the land of my people shall come up thorns and briers; yes, on all the houses of joy in the joyous city.
14 Even the palace will be abandoned and the capital city totally deserted. Homes and the forts that guarded them will be in ruins forever. Wild donkeys will roam there, and sheep will find pasture there.
14
For the palace shall be forsaken; the populous city shall be deserted; the hill and the watch-tower shall be for dens forever, a joy of wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks;
15 But once more God will send us his spirit. The wasteland will become fertile, and fields will produce rich crops.
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until the Spirit be poured on us from on high, and the wilderness become a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be esteemed as a forest.
16 Everywhere in the land righteousness and justice will be done.
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Then justice shall dwell in the wilderness; and righteousness shall abide in the fruitful field.
17 Because everyone will do what is right, there will be peace and security forever.
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The work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.
18 God's people will be free from worries, and their homes peaceful and safe
18
My people shall abide in a peaceable habitation, and in safe dwellings, and in quiet resting-places.
19 (But hail will fall on the forests, and the city will be torn down.)
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But it shall hail in the downfall of the forest; and the city shall be utterly laid low.
20 How happy everyone will be with plenty of water for the crops and safe pasture everywhere for the donkeys and cattle.
20
Blessed are you who sow beside all waters, who send forth the feet of the ox and the donkey.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.
The World English Bible is in the public domain.