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1. Listen to what I say! A king should rule in a way that brings justice. Leaders should make fair decisions when they lead the people.
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1. Behold H2005 , a king H4428 shall reign H4427 in righteousness H6664 , and princes H8269 shall rule H8323 in judgment H4941 .
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2. If this would happen, the king would be like a shelter to hide from the wind and rain, like streams of water in a dry land, and like the cool shadow of a large rock in a hot land.
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2. And a man H376 shall be H1961 as a hiding place H4224 from the wind H7307 , and a covert H5643 from the tempest H2230 ; as rivers H6388 of water H4325 in a dry place H6724 , as the shadow H6738 of a great H3515 rock H5553 in a weary H5889 land H776 .
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3. Then people would actually see what they look at. They would actually listen to what they hear.
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3. And the eyes H5869 of them that see H7200 shall not H3808 be dim H8159 , and the ears H241 of them that hear H8085 shall hearken H7181 .
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4. People who are now confused would be able to understand. Those who cannot speak clearly now would be able to speak clearly and quickly.
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4. The heart H3824 also of the rash H4116 shall understand H995 knowledge H3045 , and the tongue H3956 of the stammerers H5926 shall be ready H4116 to speak H1696 plainly H6703 .
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5. Fools would not be called great men. People would not respect men who make secret plans.
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5. The vile person H5036 shall be no H3808 more H5750 called H7121 liberal H5081 , nor H3808 the churl H3596 said H559 to be bountiful H7771 .
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6. Fools say foolish things, and in their minds they plan evil things to do. They want to do what is wrong. They say bad things about the Lord. They don't let hungry people eat their food. They don't let thirsty people drink the water.
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6. For H3588 the vile person H5036 will speak H1696 villainy H5039 , and his heart H3820 will work H6213 iniquity H205 , to practice H6213 hypocrisy H2612 , and to utter H1696 error H8442 against H413 the LORD H3068 , to make empty H7324 the soul H5315 of the hungry H7457 , and he will cause the drink H4945 of the thirsty H6771 to fail H2637 .
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7. They use evil like a tool and plan ways to steal from the poor. They tell lies about the poor and keep them from being judged fairly.
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7. The instruments H3627 also of the churl H3596 are evil H7451 : he H1931 deviseth H3289 wicked devices H2154 to destroy H2254 the poor H6041 with lying H8267 words H561 , even when the needy H34 speaketh H1696 right H4941 .
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8. But a good leader plans good things to do, and that will make him a leader over other leaders.
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8. But the liberal H5081 deviseth H3289 liberal things H5081 ; and by H5921 liberal things H5081 shall he stand H6965 .
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9. Some of you women are calm now; you feel safe. But you should stand and listen to the words I say.
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9. Rise up H6965 , ye women H802 that are at ease H7600 ; hear H8085 my voice H6963 , ye careless H982 daughters H1323 ; give ear H238 unto my speech H565 .
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10. You feel safe now, but after one year you will be troubled. That is because you will not gather grapes next year�there will be no grapes to gather.
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10. Many days H3117 and years H8141 shall ye be troubled H7264 , ye careless women H982 : for H3588 the vintage H1210 shall fail H3615 , the gathering H625 shall not H1097 come H935 .
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11. Women, you are calm now, but you should be afraid. You feel safe now, but you should be worried. Take off your nice clothes and put on sackcloth. Wrap it around your waist.
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11. Tremble H2729 , ye women that are at ease H7600 ; be troubled H7264 , ye careless ones H982 : strip H6584 you , and make you bare H6209 , and gird H2290 sackcloth upon H5921 your loins H2504 .
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12. Beat your breasts in sorrow. Cry because your fields are empty. Your vineyards once gave grapes, but now they are empty.
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12. They shall lament H5594 for H5921 the teats H7699 , for H5921 the pleasant H2531 fields H7704 , for H5921 the fruitful H6509 vine H1612 .
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13. Cry for the land of my people. Cry because only thorns and weeds will grow there. Cry for the city and for all the houses that were once filled with joy.
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13. Upon H5921 the land H127 of my people H5971 shall come up H5927 thorns H6975 and briers H8068 ; yea H3588 , upon H5921 all H3605 the houses H1004 of joy H4885 in the joyous H5947 city H7151 :
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14. People will leave the capital city. The palace and towers will be left empty. People will not live in houses�they will live in caves. Wild donkeys and sheep will live in the city�animals will go there to eat grass.
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14. Because H3588 the palaces H759 shall be forsaken H5203 ; the multitude H1995 of the city H5892 shall be left H5800 ; the forts H6076 and towers H975 shall be H1961 for H1157 dens H4631 forever H5704 H5769 , a joy H4885 of wild asses H6501 , a pasture H4829 of flocks H5739 ;
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15. This will continue until God gives us his Spirit from above. Then the desert will become rich farmland and the farmland will be like thick forests.
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15. Until H5704 the spirit H7307 be poured H6168 upon H5921 us from on high H4480 H4791 , and the wilderness H4057 be H1961 a fruitful field H3759 , and the fruitful field H3759 be counted H2803 for a forest H3293 .
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16. That is, what is now a desert will be filled with good decisions, and what is now a farmland will be filled with justice.
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16. Then judgment H4941 shall dwell H7931 in the wilderness H4057 , and righteousness H6666 remain H3427 in the fruitful field H3759 .
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17. That justice will bring peace and safety forever.
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17. And the work H4639 of righteousness H6666 shall be H1961 peace H7965 ; and the effect H5656 of righteousness H6666 quietness H8252 and assurance H983 forever H5704 H5769 .
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18. My people will be safe in their homes and in their calm, peaceful fields.
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18. And my people H5971 shall dwell H3427 in a peaceable H7965 habitation H5116 , and in sure H4009 dwellings H4908 , and in quiet H7600 resting places H4496 ;
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19. But before this happens, the forest must fall and the city must be torn down.
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19. When it shall hail H1258 , coming down H3381 on the forest H3293 ; and the city H5892 shall be low H8213 in a low place H8218 .
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20. Some of you live away from the cities. You plant seeds by every stream and let your cattle and donkeys roam free. You will be very blessed.
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20. Blessed H835 are ye that sow H2232 beside H5921 all H3605 waters H4325 , that send forth H7971 thither the feet H7272 of the ox H7794 and the ass H2543 .
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