Read the Bible

¹ A king and his leaders
    will rule with justice.
² They will be a place of safety
    from stormy winds,
a stream in the desert,
and a rock that gives shade
    from the heat of the sun.
³ Then everyone who has eyes
    will open them and see,
and those who have ears
    will pay attention.
⁴ All who are impatient
    will take time to think;
everyone who stutters
    will talk clearly.

⁵ Fools will no longer
    be highly respected,
and crooks won't be given
    positions of honor.
⁶ Fools talk foolishness.
They always make plans
    to do sinful things,
    to lie about the Lord,
    to let the hungry starve,
and to keep water
from those
    who are thirsty.
⁷ Cruel people tell lies—
they do evil things,
    and make cruel plans
to destroy the poor and needy,
even when they beg
    for justice.
⁸ But helpful people
can always be trusted
    to make helpful plans.

⁹ Listen to what I say,
you women
who are carefree
    and careless!
¹⁰ You may not have worries now,
    but in about a year,
the grape harvest will fail,
    and you will tremble.

¹¹ Shake and shudder,
    you women without a care!
Strip off your clothes—
    put on sackcloth.
¹² Slap your breasts in sorrow
    because of what happened
to the fruitful fields
    and vineyards,
¹³ and to the happy homes
    in Jerusalem.
The land of my people
    is covered with thorns.

¹⁴ The palace will be deserted,
    the crowded city empty.
Fortresses and towers
    will forever become
playgrounds for wild donkeys
    and pastures for sheep.

¹⁵ When the Spirit is given to us
    from heaven,
deserts will become orchards
    thick as fertile forests.
¹⁶ Honesty and justice
    will prosper there,
¹⁷ and justice will produce
    lasting peace and security.

¹⁸ You, the Lord's people,
will live in peace,
    calm and secure,
¹⁹ even if hailstones
flatten
    forests and cities.
²⁰ You will have God's blessing,
as you plant your crops
    beside streams,
while your donkeys and cattle
    roam freely about.