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1Look, a king will promote fairness;[#tn Heb “will reign according to fairness.”]
officials will promote justice.
2Each of them will be like a shelter from the wind[#tn Heb “a man,” but אִישׁ (’ish) probably refers here to “each” of the officials mentioned in the previous verse.]
and a refuge from a rainstorm;
like streams of water in a dry region
and like the shade of a large cliff in a parched land.
3Eyes will no longer be blind[#tn Heb “Eyes that see.”; #tn The Hebrew text as vocalized reads literally “will not gaze,” but this is contradictory to the context. The verb form should be revocalized as תְּשֹׁעֶינָה (tÿsho’enah) from שָׁעַע (sha’a’, “be blinded”); see Isa 6:10; 29:9.]
and ears will be attentive.
4The mind that acts rashly will possess discernment[#tn Heb “the heart of rashness will understand knowledge”; cf. NAB “The flighty will become wise and capable.”]
and the tongue that stutters will speak with ease and clarity.
5A fool will no longer be called honorable;
a deceiver will no longer be called principled.
6For a fool speaks disgraceful things;[#tn Or “foolishness,” in a moral-ethical sense. See 9:17.]
his mind plans out sinful deeds.
He commits godless deeds
and says misleading things about the Lord ;
he gives the hungry nothing to satisfy their appetite
and gives the thirsty nothing to drink.
7A deceiver’s methods are evil;[#tn Heb “as for a deceiver, his implements [or “weapons”] are evil.”]
he dreams up evil plans
to ruin the poor with lies,
even when the needy are in the right.
8An honorable man makes honorable plans;
his honorable character gives him security.
9You complacent women,[#tn Or “self-assured”; NASB, NRSV “who are at ease.”]
get up and listen to me!
You carefree daughters,
pay attention to what I say!
10In a year’s time[#tn Heb “days upon a year.”]
you carefree ones will shake with fear,
for the grape harvest will fail,
and the fruit harvest will not arrive.
11Tremble, you complacent ones!
Shake with fear, you carefree ones!
Strip off your clothes and expose yourselves –
put sackcloth on your waist!
12Mourn over the field,[#tc The Hebrew text has “over mourning breasts.” The reference to “breasts” would make sense in light of v. 11, which refers to the practice of women baring their breasts as a sign of sorrow (see J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah [NICOT], 1:585). However, one expects the preposition עַל (’al) to introduce the source or reason for mourning (see vv. 12b-13a) and the participle סֹפְדִים (sofedim, “mourning”) seems odd modifying “breasts.” The translation above assumes a twofold emendation: (1) שָׁדַיִם (shadayim, “breasts”) is emended to [ם]שָׂדַי (saday[m], “field,” a term that also appears in Isa 56:9). The final mem (ם) would be enclitic in this case, not a plural indicator. (The Hebrew noun שָׂדֶה (sadeh, “field”) forms its plural with an וֹת- [-ot] ending). (2) The plural participle סֹפְדִים is emended to סְפֹדָה (sÿfodah), a lengthened imperatival form, meaning “mourn.” For an overview of various suggestions that have been made for this difficult line, see Oswalt, 586, n. 12).]
over the delightful fields
and the fruitful vine!
13Mourn over the land of my people,[#tn “Mourn” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text vv. 12-13 are one long sentence.]
which is overgrown with thorns and briers,
and over all the once-happy houses
in the city filled with revelry.
14For the fortress is neglected;
the once-crowded city is abandoned.
Hill and watchtower
are permanently uninhabited.
Wild donkeys love to go there,
and flocks graze there.
15This desolation will continue until new life is poured out on us from heaven.[#tn Heb “until a spirit is emptied out on us from on high.” The words “this desolation will continue” are supplied in the translation for clarification and stylistic purposes. The verb עָרָה (’arah), used here in the Niphal, normally means “lay bare, expose.” The term רוּחַ (ruakh, “spirit”) is often understood here as a reference to the divine spirit (cf. 44:3 and NASB, NIV, CEV, NLT), but it appears here without an article (cf. NRSV “a spirit”), pronominal suffix, or a genitive (such as “of the Lord”). The translation assumes that it carries an impersonal nuance “vivacity, vigor” in this context.]
Then the desert will become an orchard
and the orchard will be considered a forest.
16Justice will settle down in the desert
and fairness will live in the orchard.
17Fairness will produce peace[#tn Heb “and the product of fairness will be peace.”]
and result in lasting security.
18My people will live in peaceful settlements,
in secure homes,
and in safe, quiet places.
19Even if the forest is destroyed[#tn Heb “and [?] when the forest descends.” The form וּבָרַד (uvarad) is often understood as an otherwise unattested denominative verb meaning “to hail” (HALOT 154 s.v. I ברד). In this case one might translate, “and it hails when the forest is destroyed” (cf. KJV, ASV, NASB, NIV). Perhaps the text alludes to a powerful wind and hail storm that knocks down limbs and trees. Some prefer to emend the form to וְיָרַד (vÿyarad), “and it descends,” which provides better, though not perfect, symmetry with the parallel line (cf. NAB). Perhaps וּבָרַד should be dismissed as dittographic. In this case the statement (“when the forest descends”) lacks a finite verb and seems incomplete, but perhaps it is subordinate to v. 20.]
and the city is annihilated,
20you will be blessed,
you who plant seed by all the banks of the streams,
you who let your ox and donkey graze.