14 For the palace is forsaken,

the populous city deserted;

the hill and the watchtower

will become dens forever,

a joy of wild donkeys,

a pasture of flocks;

15 until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high,

and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field,

and the fruitful field is deemed a forest.

16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness,

and righteousness abide in the fruitful field.

17 And the effect of righteousness will be peace,

and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever.

18 My people will abide in a peaceful habitation,

in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.

19 And it will hail when the forest falls down,

and the city will be utterly laid low.

20 Happy are you who sow beside all waters,

who let the feet of the ox and the donkey range free.

14 Because the palaces shall be forsaken; The multitude of the city shall be left; The forts and towers shall be for dens for ever, A joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks; 15 Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, And the wilderness be a fruitful field, And the fruitful field be counted for a forest. 16 Then judgment 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 peaceable habitation, And in sure dwellings, And in quiet resting places; 19 When it shall hail, coming down on the forest; And the city shall be low in a low place. 20 Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, That send forth thither the feet of the ox and the ass.

14 The palace and the city will be deserted,

and busy towns will be empty.

Wild donkeys will frolic and flocks will graze

in the empty forts and watchtowers

15 until at last the Spirit is poured out

on us from heaven.

Then the wilderness will become a fertile field,

and the fertile field will yield bountiful crops.

16 Justice will rule in the wilderness

and righteousness in the fertile field.

17 And this righteousness will bring peace.

Yes, it will bring quietness and confidence forever.

18 My people will live in safety, quietly at home.

They will be at rest.

19 Even if the forest should be destroyed

and the city torn down,

20 the Lord will greatly bless his people.

Wherever they plant seed, bountiful crops will spring up.

Their cattle and donkeys will graze freely.

14 Because the palaces will be forsaken,

The bustling city will be deserted.

The forts and towers will become lairs forever,

A joy of wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks—

15 Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high,

And the wilderness becomes a fruitful field,

And the fruitful field is counted as a forest.

16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness,

And righteousness remain in the fruitful field.

17 The work of righteousness will be peace,

And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.

18 My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation,

In secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places,

19 Though hail comes down on the forest,

And the city is brought low in humiliation.

20 Blessed are you who sow beside all waters,

Who send out freely the feet of the ox and the donkey.

14 The palace will be empty;

people will leave the noisy city.

Strong cities and towers will be empty.

Wild donkeys will love to live there, and sheep will go there to eat.

15 This will continue until God pours his Spirit from above upon us.

Then the desert will be like a fertile field

and the fertile field like a forest.

16 Justice will be found even in the desert,

and fairness will be found in the fertile fields.

17 That fairness will bring peace,

and it will bring calm and safety forever.

18 My people will live in peaceful places

and in safe homes

and in calm places of rest.

19 Hail will destroy the forest,

and the city will be completely destroyed.

20 But you will be happy as you plant seeds near every stream

and as you let your cattle and donkeys wander freely.

14 For the palace shall be forsaken; the populous city shall be deserted; the hill and the watch-tower shall be for dens for ever, 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 esteemed as a forest.

16 Then justice shall dwell in the wilderness; and righteousness shall abide in the fruitful field. 17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness, quietness and confidence for ever. 18 And my people shall abide in a peaceable habitation, and in safe dwellings, and in quiet resting-places. 19 But it shall hail in the downfall of the forest; and the city shall be utterly laid low. 20 Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth the feet of the ox and the ass.

14 For the palace shall be deserted, the multitude of the city shall be forsaken; hill and watchtower shall be caves for ever, 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 And judgment shall inhabit the wilderness, and righteousness dwell 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 peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting-places. 19 And it shall hail, coming down on the forest; and the city shall be low in a low place. 20 Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth the feet of the ox and the ass.

14 Palaces will be deserted. 

Noisy cities will be abandoned. 

Fortresses and watchtowers will become permanent caves. 

They will be a delight for wild donkeys and pastures for flocks 

15 until the Spirit is poured on us from on high. 

Then the wilderness will be turned into a fertile field, 

and the fertile field will be considered a forest. 

16 Then justice will live in the wilderness, 

and righteousness will be at home in the fertile field. 

17 Then an act of righteousness will bring about peace, 

calm, and safety forever. 

18 My people will live in a peaceful place, 

in safe homes and quiet places of rest. 

19 The forest will be flattened because of hail, 

and the city will be completely leveled. 

20 Blessed are those who plant beside every stream 

and those who let oxen and donkeys roam freely. 

14 For the palace will be forsaken,

the busy city abandoned.

The hill and the watchtower will become

barren places forever,

the joy of wild donkeys,

and a pasture for flocks,

15 until the Spirit from heaven is poured out on us.

Then the desert will become an orchard,

and the orchard will seem like a forest.

16 Then justice will inhabit the wilderness,

and righteousness will dwell in the orchard.

17 The result of righteousness will be peace;

the effect of righteousness

will be quiet confidence forever.

18 Then my people will dwell in a peaceful place,

in safe and secure dwellings.

19 But hail will level the forest,

and the city will sink into the depths.

20 Those who sow seed are happy

beside abundant waters;

they let ox and donkey range freely.

14 For the palace will be forsaken,

the populous city deserted;

the hill and the watchtower

will become dens forever,

the joy of wild asses,

a pasture for flocks;

15 until a spirit from on high is poured out on us,

and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field,

and the fruitful field is deemed a forest.

16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness,

and righteousness abide in the fruitful field.

17 The effect of righteousness will be peace,

and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever.

18 My people will abide in a peaceful habitation,

in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.

19 The forest will disappear completely,

and the city will be utterly laid low.

20 Happy will you be who sow beside every stream,

who let the ox and the donkey range freely.

14 For the palace will be forsaken,

the crowded city deserted;

the hill and the watchtower will become a cave forever,

the joy of wild asses, a pasture for flocks.

15 Until a spirit is poured out on us from on high,

and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field,

and the fruitful field is reckoned as the forest.

16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness,

and righteousness will live in the fruitful field.

17 And the work of righteousness will be peace,

and the work of righteousness, quietness and security forever.

18 And my people will dwell in a settlement of peace

and in a dwelling place of security

and in undisturbed resting places.

19 And it hails when the forest comes down,

and the city will become low in humiliation.

20 Happy are you who sow by all waters,

who let the foot of the ox and the donkey go free.

14 The royal palace will be left empty.

The noisy city will be deserted.

The fort and lookout tower will become

a dry and empty desert forever.

Donkeys will enjoy being there.

Flocks will eat there.

15 That will continue until the Holy Spirit

is poured out on us from heaven.

Then the desert will be turned into rich farm lands.

The rich farm lands will seem like a forest.

16 In the desert and the rich farm lands

people will do what is right.

And they will treat one another fairly.

17 Doing what is right will bring peace and rest.

When my people do that, they will stay calm

and trust in the Lord forever.

18 They will live in a peaceful land.

Their homes will be secure.

They will enjoy peace and quiet.

19 Hail might strip the forests bare.

Cities might be completely destroyed.

20 But how blessed you people will be!

You will plant your seeds by every stream.

You will let your cattle and donkeys

wander anywhere they want to.

14 Because the palace has been abandoned, the populated city forsaken.

Hill and watch-tower have become caves forever,

A delight for wild donkeys, a pasture for flocks;

15 Until the Spirit is poured out upon us from on high,

And the wilderness becomes a fertile field,

And the fertile field is considered as a forest.

16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness

And righteousness will abide in the fertile field.

17 And the work of righteousness will be peace,

And the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.

18 Then my people will live in a peaceful habitation,

And in secure dwellings and in undisturbed resting places;

19 And it will hail when the forest comes down,

And the city will be utterly laid low.

20 How blessed will you be, you who sow beside all waters,

Who let out freely the ox and the donkey.