1For, behold, a righteous king shall reign, and princes shall govern with judgment.

2And a man shall hide his words, and be hidden, as from rushing water, and shall appear in Sion as a rushing river, glorious in a thirsty land.

3And they shall no more trust in men, but they shall incline their ears to hear.

4And the heart of the weak ones shall attend to hear, and the stammering tongues shall soon learn to speak peace.

5And they shall no more at all tell a fool to rule, and thy servants shall no more at all say, Be silent.

6For the fool shall speak foolish words, and his heart shall meditate vanities, and to perform lawless deeds and to speak error against the Lord, to scatter hungry souls, and he will cause the thirsty souls to be empty.

7For the counsel of the wicked will devise iniquity, to destroy the poor with unjust words, and ⁸⁶ruin the cause of the poor in judgment.

8But the godly have devised wise measures, and this counsel shall stand.

9Rise up, ye rich women, and hear my voice; ⁸⁷ye confident daughters, hearken to my words.

10Remember for a full year in pain, yet with hope: the vintage has been cut off, it has ceased, it shall by no means come again.

11Be amazed, be pained, ye confident ones: strip you, bare yourselves, gird your loins;

12and beat on your breasts, because of the pleasant field, and the fruit of the vine.

13As for the land of my people, the thorn and grass shall come upon it, and joy shall be removed from every house.

14As for the rich city, the houses are deserted; they shall abandon the wealth of the city, and the pleasant houses: and the villages shall be caves for ever, the joy of wild asses, shepherds' pastures;

15until the Spirit shall come upon you from on high, and Chermel shall be desert, and Chermel shall be counted for a forest.

16Then judgment shall abide in the wilderness, and righteousness shall dwell in Carmel.

17And the works of righteousness shall be peace; and righteousness shall ensure rest, and the righteous shall be confident for ever.

18And his people shall inhabit a city of peace, and dwell in it in confidence, and they shall rest with wealth.

19And if the hail should come down, it shall not come upon you; and they that dwell in the forests shall be in confidence, as those in the plain country.

20Blessed are they that sow by every water, where the ox and ass tread.