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¹ BEHOLD, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in justice.² And a man shall be as a hiding place from the wind and as a shelter from the tempest; as streams of waters in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.³ And the eyes of those who see shall not be dim, and the ears of those who hear shall hearken.⁴ The heart of the imprudent shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of stammerers shall hasten to speak plainly.⁵ The fool shall be no more called ruler, nor shall the vain man be called a saviour.⁶ For the fool will speak folly, and his heart will work iniquity, to practice hypocrisy and to utter error, to make empty the soul of the hungry and to deprive the thirsty of drink.⁷ The instruments of the vain person are evil; he devises wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the testimony of the needy is right.⁸ But a great person devises great things, and on his greatness shall he stand.

⁹ Rise up, O you rich women; hear my voice, O you daughters that publish glad tidings, give ear to my speech.¹⁰ The days of the year shall be angry against those who publish glad tidings, for the vintage shall fail, the gathering shall not come.¹¹ Tremble, O you rich women; be troubled, O you who publish glad tidings; strip, and make yourselves bare and gird sackcloth upon your loins.¹² Mourn and beat upon your breasts, for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine.¹³ Upon the land of my people shall grow up thorns and briers; yea, upon all the houses of mirth in the mighty city;¹⁴ Because the palace is forsaken; the multitude of the city is deserted; and the beautiful houses have become dens for ever, thorns, and a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks;¹⁵ Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness become a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest.¹⁶ Then justice shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field.¹⁷ And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance for ever.¹⁸ And my people shall dwell in a peaceful habitation and in sure tabernacles and in a resting place of hope.¹⁹ And hail shall come down on the forest, and the city shall be made low like a plain.²⁰ Blessed are you who sow beside all waters, the place which is trodden under the feet of the ox and the ass.