The Kingdom of Righteousness

32 See, a king(A) will reign in righteousness
    and rulers will rule with justice.(B)
Each one will be like a shelter(C) from the wind
    and a refuge from the storm,(D)
like streams of water(E) in the desert(F)
    and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land.

Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed,(G)
    and the ears(H) of those who hear will listen.
The fearful heart will know and understand,(I)
    and the stammering tongue(J) will be fluent and clear.
No longer will the fool(K) be called noble
    nor the scoundrel be highly respected.
For fools speak folly,(L)
    their hearts are bent on evil:(M)
They practice ungodliness(N)
    and spread error(O) concerning the Lord;
the hungry they leave empty(P)
    and from the thirsty they withhold water.
Scoundrels use wicked methods,(Q)
    they make up evil schemes(R)
to destroy the poor with lies,
    even when the plea of the needy(S) is just.(T)
But the noble make noble plans,
    and by noble deeds(U) they stand.(V)

The Women of Jerusalem

You women(W) who are so complacent,
    rise up and listen(X) to me;
you daughters who feel secure,(Y)
    hear what I have to say!
10 In little more than a year(Z)
    you who feel secure will tremble;
the grape harvest will fail,(AA)
    and the harvest of fruit will not come.
11 Tremble,(AB) you complacent women;
    shudder, you daughters who feel secure!(AC)
Strip off your fine clothes(AD)
    and wrap yourselves in rags.(AE)
12 Beat your breasts(AF) for the pleasant fields,
    for the fruitful vines(AG)
13 and for the land of my people,
    a land overgrown with thorns and briers(AH)
yes, mourn(AI) for all houses of merriment
    and for this city of revelry.(AJ)
14 The fortress(AK) will be abandoned,
    the noisy city deserted;(AL)
citadel and watchtower(AM) will become a wasteland forever,
    the delight of donkeys,(AN) a pasture for flocks,(AO)
15 till the Spirit(AP) is poured on us from on high,
    and the desert becomes a fertile field,(AQ)
    and the fertile field seems like a forest.(AR)
16 The Lord’s justice(AS) will dwell in the desert,(AT)
    his righteousness(AU) live in the fertile field.
17 The fruit of that righteousness(AV) will be peace;(AW)
    its effect will be quietness and confidence(AX) forever.
18 My people will live in peaceful(AY) dwelling places,
    in secure homes,(AZ)
    in undisturbed places of rest.(BA)
19 Though hail(BB) flattens the forest(BC)
    and the city is leveled(BD) completely,
20 how blessed you will be,
    sowing(BE) your seed by every stream,(BF)
    and letting your cattle and donkeys range free.(BG)

A Reign of Righteousness

32 Behold, (A)a king will reign in righteousness,
And princes will rule with justice.
A man will be as a hiding place from the wind,
And (B)a [a]cover from the tempest,
As rivers of water in a dry place,
As the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.
(C)The eyes of those who see will not be dim,
And the ears of those who hear will listen.
Also the heart of the [b]rash will (D)understand knowledge,
And the tongue of the stammerers will be ready to speak plainly.

The foolish person will no longer be called [c]generous,
Nor the miser said to be bountiful;
For the foolish person will speak foolishness,
And his heart will work (E)iniquity:
To practice ungodliness,
To utter error against the Lord,
To keep the hungry unsatisfied,
And he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.
Also the schemes of the schemer are evil;
He devises wicked plans
To destroy the poor with (F)lying words,
Even when the needy speaks justice.
But a [d]generous man devises generous things,
And by generosity he shall stand.

Consequences of Complacency

Rise up, you women (G)who are at ease,
Hear my voice;
You complacent daughters,
Give ear to my speech.
10 In a year and some days
You will be troubled, you complacent women;
For the vintage will fail,
The gathering will not come.
11 Tremble, you women who are at ease;
Be troubled, you complacent ones;
Strip yourselves, make yourselves bare,
And gird sackcloth on your waists.

12 People shall mourn upon their breasts
For the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine.
13 (H)On the land of my people will come up thorns and briers,
Yes, on all the happy homes in (I)the joyous city;
14 (J)Because the palaces will be forsaken,
The bustling city will be deserted.
The forts and towers will become lairs forever,
A joy of wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks—
15 Until (K)the Spirit is poured upon us from on high,
And (L)the wilderness becomes a fruitful field,
And the fruitful field is counted as a forest.

The Peace of God’s Reign

16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness,
And righteousness remain in the fruitful field.
17 (M)The work of righteousness will be peace,
And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.
18 My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation,
In secure dwellings, and in quiet (N)resting places,
19 (O)Though hail comes down (P)on the forest,
And the city is brought low in humiliation.

20 Blessed are you who sow beside all waters,
Who send out freely the feet of (Q)the ox and the donkey.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 32:2 shelter
  2. Isaiah 32:4 hasty
  3. Isaiah 32:5 noble
  4. Isaiah 32:8 noble

32 See, a Melech shall reign in tzedek, and sarim shall rule in mishpat (justice).

And an ish shall be as a sheltering hiding place from the ruach (wind), and a seter (refuge) from the tempest; as streams of mayim in a dry place, as the tzel (shadow) of a great rock in a weary land.

And the eynayim of them that see shall no longer be closed, and the oznayim of them that hear shall pay heed.

The levav also of the rash shall understand da’as, and the lashon of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly.

The naval (foolish person) shall be no more called noble, nor the scoundrel said to be honorable.

For the naval will speak foolishness, and his lev will work evil, to practise khonef (hypocrisy), and to utter to’ah (error, perversity) against Hashem, to leave unsatisfied the nefesh of the ra’av (hungry), and he will cause the drink of the tzameh (thirsty) to fail.

The schemes also of the schemer are ra’im (evil ones); he deviseth zimmot (wicked schemes) to destroy the poor with words of sheker, even when the evyon (needy) speaketh mishpat (justly).

But the noble maketh plans that are noble; and by noble things shall he stand.

Rise up, ye nashim that are complacently at ease; hear my voice, ye banot at ease; give ozen unto my speech.

10 Days and a shanah, then shall ye tremble, ye careless nashim; for the grape harvest shall fail, the harvest of fruit shall not come.

11 Tremble, ye nashim that are complacently at ease; shake, ye complacent ones; strip you, and make you bare, and gird sackcloth upon your loins.

12 They shall mournfully beat upon their breasts, for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful gefen (vine).

13 Upon the admat Ami (land of My People) shall come up kotz (thorns) and briers; indeed, upon all the batim (houses) of joy in the city of merriment;

14 Because the palaces shall be forsaken; the multitude of the Ir shall be abandoned; the citadel and stronghold shall be ruins ad olam, a delight of wild donkeys, a pasture of adarim (flocks);

15 Until the Ruach [Hakodesh] be poured upon us from on high, and the midbar become a carmel (fruitful field), and the carmel become a ya’ar (forest).

16 Then mishpat shall dwell in the midbar, and tzedakah live in the carmel.

17 And the ma’aseh (work) of tzedakah (righteousness) shall be shalom; and the effect of tzedakah quietness and assurance ad olam (forever).

18 And my people shall dwell in a naveh shalom (a habitation of peace) and in secure mishkenot (dwellings), and in quiet menuchot (resting places);

19 When it shall hail, coming down on the ya’ar (forest); and the Ir shall be utterly brought down in a low place [of humiliation].

20 Blessed are ye that sow beside all mayim, that send forth there the regel of the shor (ox) and the chamor (donkey).