Revised Standard Version RSV
GOD'S WORD Translation GW
1 Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule in justice.
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A king will rule with fairness, and officials 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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Then each ruler will be like a shelter from the wind and a hiding place from the rain. They will be like streams on parched ground and the shade of a large 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 hearken.
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Then the vision of those who can see won't be blurred, and the ears of those who can hear will pay attention.
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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Then those who are reckless will begin to understand, and those who stutter will speak quickly and clearly.
5 The fool will no more be called noble, nor the knave said to be honorable.
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Godless fools will no longer be called nobles, nor will scoundrels be considered gentlemen.
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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Godless fools speak foolishness, and their minds plan evil in order to do ungodly things. They speak falsely about the LORD. They let people go hungry and withhold water from thirsty people.
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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The tricks of scoundrels are evil. They devise wicked plans in order to ruin poor people with lies, even when needy people plead for justice.
8 But he who is noble devises noble things, and by noble things he stands.
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But honorable people act honorably and stand firm for what is honorable.
9 Rise up, you women who are at ease, hear my voice; you complacent daughters, give ear to my speech.
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Get up, and listen to me, you pampered women. Hear what I say, you overconfident daughters.
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 a little less than a year you overconfident women will tremble, because the grape harvest will fail and no fruit will be brought in [from the fields].
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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Shudder, you pampered women. Tremble, you overconfident women. Take off your clothes, walk around naked, and wear sackcloth around your waists.
12 Beat upon your breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine,
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Beat your breasts as you mourn for the fields, for the vines bearing grapes.
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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Mourn for my people's land where thorns and briars will grow. Mourn for all the happy homes in a joyful city.
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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Palaces will be deserted. Noisy cities will be abandoned. Fortresses and watchtowers will become permanent caves. They will be a delight for wild donkeys and pastures 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 the Spirit is poured on us from on high. Then the wilderness will be turned into a fertile field, and the fertile field will be considered a forest.
16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness abide in the fruitful field.
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Then justice will live in the wilderness, and righteousness will be at home 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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Then an act of righteousness will bring about peace, calm, and safety 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 a peaceful place, in safe homes and quiet places of rest.
19 And the forest will utterly go down, and the city will be utterly laid low.
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The forest will be flattened because of hail, and the city will be completely leveled.
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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Blessed are those who plant beside every stream and those who let oxen and donkeys roam freely.
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.
GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.