Read the Bible

The Kingdom of Righteousness

¹ See, a king will reign in righteousness
and rulers will rule with justice.

² Each man will be like a shelter from the wind
and a refuge from the storm,
like streams of water in the desert
and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land.

³ Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed,
and the ears of those who hear will listen.

⁴ The mind of the rash will know and understand,
and the stammering tongue will be fluent and clear.

⁵ No longer will the fool be called noble
nor the scoundrel be highly respected.

⁶ For the fool speaks folly,
his mind is busy with evil:
He practices ungodliness
and spreads error concerning the LORD ;
the hungry he leaves empty
and from the thirsty he withholds water.

⁷ The scoundrel's methods are wicked,
he makes up evil schemes
to destroy the poor with lies,
even when the plea of the needy is just.

⁸ But the noble man makes noble plans,
and by noble deeds he stands.

The Women of Jerusalem

⁹ You women who are so complacent,
rise up and listen to me;
you daughters who feel secure,
hear what I have to say!

¹⁰ In little more than a year
you who feel secure will tremble;
the grape harvest will fail,
and the harvest of fruit will not come.

¹¹ Tremble, you complacent women;
shudder, you daughters who feel secure!
Strip off your clothes,
put sackcloth around your waists.

¹² Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields,
for the fruitful vines

¹³ and for the land of my people,
a land overgrown with thorns and briers-
yes, mourn for all houses of merriment
and for this city of revelry.

¹⁴ The fortress will be abandoned,
the noisy city deserted;
citadel and watchtower will become a wasteland forever,
the delight of donkeys, a pasture for flocks,

¹⁵ till the Spirit is poured upon us from on high,
and the desert becomes a fertile field,
and the fertile field seems like a forest.

¹⁶ Justice will dwell in the desert
and righteousness live in the fertile field.

¹⁷ The fruit of righteousness will be peace;
the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever.

¹⁸ My people will live in peaceful dwelling places,
in secure homes,
in undisturbed places of rest.

¹⁹ Though hail flattens the forest
and the city is leveled completely,

²⁰ how blessed you will be,
sowing your seed by every stream,
and letting your cattle and donkeys range free.