1 Behold, a king shall govern after the rule of righteousness, and the princes shall rule according to the balance of equity.
2 He shall be unto men, as a defense for the wind, and as a refuge for the tempest, like as a river of water in a thirsty place, and the shadow of a great rock in a dry land.
3 The eyes of the seeing shall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear, shall take diligent heed.
4 The heart of the unwise shall attain to knowledge, and the imperfect tongue shall speak plainly and distinctly.
5 Then shall the niggard be no more called gentle, nor the churl liberal.
6 But the churl will be churlishly minded, and his heart will work evil and play the hypocrite, and imagine abominations against God, to make the hungry lean, and withhold drink from the thirsty.
7 These are the perilous weapons of the covetous, these be his shameful counsels: that he may beguile the poor with deceitful works, yea, even there as he should give sentence with the poor.
8 But the liberal person imagineth honest things, and cometh up with honesty.
9 Up, ye rich and idle women, hearken unto my voice. Ye careless cities, mark my words.
10 After years and days shall ye be brought in fear, O ye careless cities. For Harvest shall be out, and the grape gathering shall not come.
11 O ye rich idle cities, ye that fear no peril: ye shall be abashed and removed, when ye see the bareness, the nakedness, and preparing to war.
12 For as the infants weep when their mothers' teats are dried, so shall you weep for your fair fields and fruitful vineyards.
13 My people's field shall bring thorns and thistles, for in every house is voluptuousness; and in the cities, willfulness.
14 The palaces also shall be broken, and the greatly occupied cities desolate. The towers and bulwarks shall be become dens forevermore, the pleasure of Mules shall be turned to pasture for sheep:
15 Unto the time that the spirit be poured upon us from above. Then shall the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the plenteous field shall be reckoned for a wood.
16 Then shall equity dwell in the desert, and righteousness in a fruitful land.
17 And the reward of righteousness shall be peace; and her fruit, rest and quietness forever.
18 And my people shall dwell in the inns of peace, in my tabernacle and pleasure where there is enough in them all.
19 And when the hail falleth, it shall fall in the wood and in the city.
20 O how happy shall ye be, when ye shall safely sow your seed beside all waters, and drive thither the feet of your oxen and asses.