The Glorious Future
1 Behold, aKing will reign in righteousness,
And princes will rule with justice.
2 Each [one of them] will be like a hiding place from the wind
And a shelter from the storm,
Like streams of water in a dry land,
Like the shade of a huge rock in a parchedandweary land [to those who turn to them].
3 Then the eyes of those who see will not be blinded,
And the ears of those who hear will listen attentively.
4 The heart (mind) of those who act impulsively will discern the truth,
And the tongue of the stammerers will hurry to speak clearly.
5 The fool (the good-for-nothing) will no longer be called noble,
Nor the rogue said to be generous.
6 For the fool speaks nonsense,
And his heart (mind) plans wickedness:
To practice ungodliness and to speak error concerning the Lord,
To keep the craving of the hungry unsatisfied
And to deprive the thirsty of drink.
7 As for the rogue, his weapons are evil;
He conceives wicked plans
To ruin the poor with lies,
Even when the plea of the needy one is justandright.
8 But the noble man conceives nobleandmagnificent things;
And he stands by what is nobleandmagnificent.
9 Rise up, you women who are carefree,
And hear my voice,
You confidentandunsuspecting daughters!
Listen to what I am saying.
10 In little more than a year
You will tremble [with anxiety], you unsuspectingandcomplacent women;
For the vintage has ended,
And the harvest will not come.
11 Tremble, you women who are carefree;
Tremble with fear, you complacent ones!
Strip, undress and wearsackclothon your waist [in grief],
12 Beat your breasts [in mourning] for the beautiful fields, for the fruitful vine,
13 For the land of my people growing over with thorns and briars–
Yes, [mourn] for all the houses of joy in the joyous city.
14 For the palace has been abandoned, the populated city deserted;
The hill [of the city] and the watchtower have become caves [for wild animals] forever,
A delight for wild donkeys, a pasture for flocks,
15 Until the Spirit is poured out upon us from on high,
And the wilderness becomes a fertile field,
And the fertile field is valued as a forest.
16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness,
And righteousness will live in the fertile field.
17 And the effect of righteousness will be peace,
And the result of righteousness will be quietness and confident trust forever.
18 Then my people will live in a peaceful surrounding,
And in secure dwellings and in undisturbed resting places.
19 But it will hail, when the forest comes down,
And the [capital] city will fall in utter humiliation.
20 Blessed (happy, fortunate) are you who cast your seed upon all waters [when the river overflows its banks and irrigates the land],
You who allow the ox and the donkey to roam freely.