Isaiah 32

1 Listen to this! Some day there will be a righteous king, and his officials will help him to rule justly/fairly.

Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule with justice.

2 Each [of them] will be like [MET] a shelter from the wind and a (refuge/place to be protected) from the storm. They will be like [SIM] streams of water in the desert, like the shade under a huge rock in a very hot and dry land.

Each will be like a shelter from the wind, a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in a dry land, like the shadow of a great rock in an arid land.

3 When that happens, [those leaders will enable] people who have not understood [MET] [God’s truth] to understand it, and [they will enable] those who have not paid attention to [MET] [God’s truth] to pay attention to it.

Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed, and the ears of those who hear will listen.

4 [Even] those who act very hastily will have good sense, and those who cannot speak well will speak fluently and clearly.

The mind of the rash will know and understand, and the stammering tongue will speak clearly and fluently.

5 [At that time], people who are foolish/unwise will no longer be (admired/looked up to), and scoundrels will no longer be respected.

No longer will a fool be called noble, nor a scoundrel be respected.

6 Foolish people say things that are foolish, and they plan to do evil things. Their behavior is disgraceful, and they say things about Yahweh that are false. They do not give food to those who are hungry, and they do not give water to those who are thirsty.

For a fool speaks foolishness; his mind plots iniquity. He practices ungodliness and speaks falsely about the LORD; he leaves the hungry empty and deprives the thirsty of drink.

7 Scoundrels do things that are evil and that deceive people; they plan to do evil things; by telling lies [in court] they cause poor people to (have trouble/be convicted), even when what the poor [people] are requesting is fair/just.

The weapons of the scoundrel are destructive; he hatches plots to destroy the poor with lies, even when the plea of the needy is just.

8 But honorable people plan to do honorable/good things, and they do the honorable/good things that they plan to do.

But a noble man makes honorable plans; he stands up for worthy causes.

9 You women [of Jerusalem] who think that you are very secure/safe and think that everything is going well, listen to [IDM] what I say!

Stand up, you complacent women; listen to me. Give ear to my word, you overconfident daughters.

10 One year from now, you who now (are not worried about anything/think that everything is going well) will tremble, because there will be no grapes for you to harvest and no [other] crops to harvest.

In a little more than a year you will tremble, O secure ones. For the grape harvest will fail and the fruit harvest will not arrive.

11 [So] tremble [now], you women who are not worried about anything! Take off your [fancy] clothes and put rough sackcloth around your waists.

Shudder, you ladies of leisure; tremble, you daughters of complacency. Strip yourselves bare and put sackcloth around your waists.

12 Beat/Hit your breasts to show that you are grieving about [what will happen in] your fertile fields and to your fruitful grapevines,

Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vines,

13 because [only] thorns and thistles will grow in your soil. Your houses where you had joyful parties and your city where you have been happy will be gone.

and for the land of my people, overgrown with thorns and briers— even for every house of merriment in this city of revelry.

14 The [king’s] palace will be empty; there will be no people in the city that [now] is very noisy. Wild donkeys will walk around and flocks of sheep will eat grass in the empty forts and watchtowers.

For the palace will be forsaken, the busy city abandoned. The hill and the watchtower will become caves forever— the delight of wild donkeys and a pasture for flocks—

15 [It will be like that] until God pours his Spirit out on us from heaven. [When that happens], the deserts will become fertile fields, and abundant crops will grow in those fertile fields.

until the Spirit is poured out upon us from on high. Then the desert will be an orchard, and the orchard will seem like a forest.

16 People [PRS] will act/rule justly/fairly in those desert areas, and people will act/rule righteously in those fertile fields.

Then justice will inhabit the wilderness, and righteousness will dwell in the fertile field.

17 And the result of their acting righteously will be that there will be peace, the land will be tranquil/quiet, and people will be secure/safe forever.

The work of righteousness will be peace; the service of righteousness will be quiet confidence forever.

18 My people will live in their homes peacefully, and safely, and calmly, in places of rest.

Then my people will dwell in a peaceful place, in safe and secure places of rest.

19 [Even if a severe] hailstorm knocks down [the trees in] the forest, and [all the buildings in] the city are blown down,

But hail will level the forest, and the city will sink to the depths.

20 Yahweh [will greatly] bless you; you will plant [seeds in fields] alongside the streams [and there will be abundant crops]. Your donkeys and cattle will easily find grass to eat.

Blessed are those who sow beside abundant waters, who let the ox and donkey range freely.