Verse 1
Lo, for righteousness doth a king reign, As to princes, for judgment they rule.
Verse 2
And each hath been as a hiding-place `from' wind, And as a secret hiding-place `from' inundation, As rivulets of waters in a dry place, As a shadow of a heavy rock in a weary land.
Verse 3
And not dazzled are the eyes of beholders, And the ears of hearers do attend.
Verse 4
And the heart of those hastened Understandeth to know, And the tongue of stammerers hasteth to speak clearly.
Verse 5
A fool is no more called `noble,' And to a miser it is not said, `rich;'
Verse 6
For a fool speaketh folly, And his heart doth iniquity, to do profanity, And to speak concerning Jehovah error, To empty the soul of the hungry, Yea, drink of the thirsty he causeth to lack.
Verse 7
And the miser -- his instruments `are' evil, He hath counselled wicked devices, To corrupt the poor with lying sayings, Even when the needy speaketh justly.
Verse 8
And the noble counselled noble things, And he for noble things riseth up.
Verse 9
Women, easy ones, rise, hear my voice, Daughters, confident ones, give ear `to' my saying,
Verse 10
Days and a year ye are troubled, O confident ones, For consumed hath been harvest, The gathering cometh not.
Verse 11
Tremble ye women, ye easy ones, Be troubled, ye confident ones, Strip and make bare, with a girdle on the loins,
Verse 12
For breasts they are lamenting, For fields of desire, for the fruitful vine.
Verse 13
Over the ground of my people thorn -- brier goeth up, Surely over all houses of joy of the exulting city,
Verse 14
Surely the palace hath been left, The multitude of the city forsaken, Fort and watch-tower hath been for dens unto the age, A joy of wild asses -- a pasture of herds;
Verse 15
Till emptied out on us is the Spirit from on high, And a wilderness hath become a fruitful field, And the fruitful field for a forest is reckoned.
Verse 16
And dwelt in the wilderness hath judgment, And righteousness in the fruitful field remaineth.
Verse 17
And a work of the righteousness hath been peace, And a service of the righteousness -- Keeping quiet and confidence unto the age.
Verse 18
And dwelt hath My people in a peaceful habitation, And in stedfast tabernacles, And in quiet resting-places.
Verse 19
And it hath hailed in the going down of the forest, And in the valley is the city low.
Verse 20
Happy `are' ye sowing by all waters, Sending forth the foot of the ox and the ass!