Isaiah

32 Lo, a king will reign rightly and generals command justly, 2 and each will be like a hiding-place from wind and a screen from squalls, like streams of water in a desert, like the shadow of a massive rock in a parched country. 3 And the eyes of men who see will not be gummed over, and the ears of men who hear will be alert, 4 and the brains of reckless men will have sense to know, and the tongues of stammering men will be quick to speak clearly. 5* Not again will a rascal be called noble, nor will a schemer be called prominent. 6 For a rascal talks rascality and his brain works up villainy, doing ungodly things and talking fallacies about Jehovah, keeping a hungry man’s stomach empty and cutting down a thirsty man’s drink; 7* and a schemer’s skill is bad, he plans infamies, to ruin poverty-stricken men with his lying words when a needy man pleads for right; 8 but a noble man plans for noble things, and in noble things engage he will.

9 Untroubled women, stand up, listen to my voice; fearless daughters, give ear to my say. 10 Days over a year, you fearless ones will quaver, because vintage is done with, grape-picking will not come. 11 Be in panic, you who are untroubled; quaver, you who are fearless; undress, strip naked, wear a belt round your hips; 12 there is wailing with beaten breasts for choice fields, for fruitful vines, 13* for my people’s soil growing up to thorns and brambles, for all clubhouses in a hilarious town; 14* because a palace is abandoned, a city’s uproar is deserted, castle hill and watchtower will be over caves forever, a playground for wild asses, a pasture for flocks— 15 till a spirit is discharged upon us from on high, and wilderness will become garden-land and garden-land will be rated as brush-grown rocks, 16 and justice will take up its abode in the wilderness and right will settle in the garden-land; and the effect of right will be peace, 17 and the work of right tranquillity and fearlessness forever. 18 And my people will live on peaceful ground, in fearless dwellings, in untroubled resting-places. 19* But it will hail when the brushwood goes down, and in prostration the city will be laid low. 20 Happy you that sow by every water, that turn loose the feet of cow and donkey.