¹Behold , a king shall reign in righteousness ,

and princes shall rule in justice .

²A man shall be as a hiding place from the wind ,

and a covert from the storm ,

as streams of water in a dry place ,

as the shade of a large rock in a weary land.

³The eyes of those who see will not be dim ,

and the ears of those who hear will listen .

⁴The heart of the rash will understand knowledge ,

and the tongue of the stammerers will be ready to speak plainly .

⁵The fool will no longer be called noble ,

nor the scoundrel be highly respected.

⁶For the fool will speak folly ,

and his heart will work iniquity,

to practise profanity,

and to utter error against the LORD ,

to make empty the soul of the hungry ,

and to cause the drink of the thirsty to fail .

⁷The ways of the scoundrel are evil .

He devises wicked plans to destroy the humble with lying words,

even when the needy speaks right .

⁸But the noble devises noble things ,

and he will continue in noble things .

⁹Rise up , you women who are at ease ! Hear my voice !

You careless daughters , give ear to my speech!

¹⁰For days beyond a year you will be troubled , you careless women;

for the vintage will fail .

The harvest won’t come .

¹¹Tremble , you women who are at ease !

Be troubled , you careless ones!

Strip yourselves , make yourselves naked,

and put sackcloth on your waist .

¹²Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields ,

for the fruitful vine .

¹³Thorns and briers will come up on my people ’s land;

yes , on all the houses of joy in the joyous city .

¹⁴For the palace will be forsaken .

The populous city will be deserted .

The hill and the watchtower will be for dens forever ,

a delight for wild donkeys ,

a pasture of flocks ,

¹⁵until the Spirit is poured on us from on high ,

and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field ,

and the fruitful field is considered a forest .

¹⁶Then justice will dwell in the wilderness ;

and righteousness will remain in the fruitful field .

¹⁷The work of righteousness will be peace ,

and the effect of righteousness , quietness and confidence forever .

¹⁸My people will live in a peaceful habitation ,

in safe dwellings ,

and in quiet resting places ,

¹⁹though hail flattens the forest ,

and the city is levelled completely.

²⁰Blessed are you who sow beside all waters ,

who send out the feet of the ox and the donkey .