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Behold, 1a king will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule in justice.
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2Each will be like a hiding place from the wind, a shelter from the storm, 3like streams of water in a dry place, like the shade of a great rock in a weary land.
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4Then the eyes of those who see will not be closed, and the ears of those who hear will give attention.
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The heart of the hasty will understand and know, 5and the tongue of the stammerers will hasten to speak distinctly.
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6The fool will no more be called noble, nor the scoundrel said to be honorable.
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For 7the fool speaks folly, and his heart is busy with iniquity, to practice ungodliness, to utter error concerning the LORD, 8to leave the craving of the hungry unsatisfied, and to deprive the thirsty of drink.
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As for the scoundrel--9his devices are evil; he plans wicked schemes to ruin the poor with lying words, even when the plea of the needy is right.
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But he who is noble plans noble things, and on noble things he stands.
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10Rise up, you women 11who are at ease, hear my voice; you complacent daughters, give ear to my speech.
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In little more than a year you will shudder, you complacent women; for the grape harvest fails, the fruit harvest will not come.
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Tremble, you women 12who are at ease, shudder, you complacent ones; 13strip, and make yourselves bare, 14and tie sackcloth around your waist.
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15Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine,
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16for the soil of my people growing up in thorns and briers, 17yes, for all the joyous houses in the exultant city.
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For the palace is forsaken, the populous city deserted; the hill and the watchtower will become dens forever, 18a joy of wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks;
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until 19the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and 20the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is deemed a forest.
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Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness abide in the fruitful field.
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21And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever.
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My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.
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22And it will hail when the forest falls down, 23and the city will be utterly laid low.
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24Happy are you who sow beside all waters, who let the feet of the ox and the donkey range free.