Isaiah

32 Lo! in righteousness shall reign a king Yea even princes with equity shall bear rule.

2 So shall each one become As a hiding-place from the wind And a covert from the storm,—As channels of water in a dry place, As the shadow of a massive cliff in a weary land.

3 And the eyes of them who are ready to see shall not be closed,—And the ears of them who are ready to hear shall hearken;

4 And the heart of the hurried shall take note of knowledge, And the tongue of stammerers shall make haste to speak plainly.

5 A base man shall no longer be called noble,—Nor a knave be named liberal;

6 For a base man with baseness will speak, And his heart will practise iniquity,—Practising profanity, And speaking against Yahweh that which misleadeth, Emptying the soul of the hungry, And the drink of the thirsty he causeth to fail;

7 Yea a knave his weapons are wicked,—He base schemes hath devised To ruin the oppressed with speeches of falsehood, Even when the needy pleadeth for justice.

8 But a noble man noble things hath devised,—And he upon noble things will stand.

9 Ye women in comfort! arise, hear my voice, Ye daughters so confident, give ear to my speech:—

10 Some days beyond a year ye shall be troubled, ye confident ones,—For failed hath the vintage, No gathering cometh in.

11 Tremble, ye women in comfort, Be troubled, ye daughters so confident,—Strip! and bare yourselves, and gird somewhat on your loins:

12 Upon your breasts continue smiting: For desirable fields, For fruitful vine.

13 Over the soil of my people thorns and briars shall grow,—Yea over all houses of joy, thou city exultant!

14 For the palace is abandoned, The tumult of the city hath ceased,—Hill and watch-tower serve as caves unto times age-abiding, The joy of wild-asses, The pasture of flocks:—

15 Until there be poured out upon us the spirit from on high,—Then shall the wilderness become garden-land, And the garden-land for a forest be reckoned;

16 Then shall justice inhabit the wilderness, And righteousness in the garden-land shall abide;

17 And the yield of righteousness shall be peace,—And the tillage of righteousness quietness and confidence to times age-abiding;

18 And my people shall dwell In a home of peace,—and In habitations of security, and In resting-places of comfort.

19 But it shall hail during the felling of the forest, And in a sunken place shall the city sink.

20 How happy are ye who sow beside all waters,—Who send forth the foot of the ox and the ass.