Isaiah 31:1–32:20

Woe to Those Who Rely on Egypt

31 Woep to those who go down to Egyptq for help,

who rely on horses,r

who trust in the multitude of their chariotss

and in the great strength of their horsemen,

but do not look to the Holy Onet of Israel,

or seek help from the Lord.u

2 Yet he too is wisev and can bring disaster;w

he does not take back his words.x

He will rise up against that wicked nation,y

against those who help evildoers.

3 But the Egyptiansz are mere mortals and not God;a

their horsesb are flesh and not spirit.

When the Lord stretches out his hand,c

those who help will stumble,

those who are helpedd will fall;

all will perish together.e

4 This is what the Lord says to me:

“As a lionf growls,

a great lion over its prey—

and though a whole band of shepherdsg

is called together against it,

it is not frightened by their shouts

or disturbed by their clamorh—

so the Lord Almighty will come downi

to do battle on Mount Zion and on its heights.

5 Like birds hoveringj overhead,

the Lord Almighty will shieldk Jerusalem;

he will shield it and deliverl it,

he will ‘pass over’m it and will rescue it.”

6 Return,n you Israelites, to the One you have so greatly revoltedo against. 7 For in that dayp every one of you will reject the idols of silver and goldq your sinful hands have made.r

8 “Assyrias will fall by no human sword;

a sword, not of mortals, will devourt them.

They will flee before the sword

and their young men will be put to forced labor.u

9 Their strongholdv will fall because of terror;

at the sight of the battle standardw their commanders will panic,x”

declares the Lord,

whose firey is in Zion,

whose furnacez is in Jerusalem.

The Kingdom of Righteousness

32 See, a kinga will reign in righteousness

and rulers will rule with justice.b

2 Each one will be like a shelterc from the wind

and a refuge from the storm,d

like streams of watere in the desertf

and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land.

3 Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed,g

and the earsh of those who hear will listen.

4 The fearful heart will know and understand,i

and the stammering tonguej will be fluent and clear.

5 No longer will the foolk be called noble

nor the scoundrel be highly respected.

6 For fools speak folly,l

their hearts are bent on evil:m

They practice ungodlinessn

and spread erroro concerning the Lord;

the hungry they leave emptyp

and from the thirsty they withhold water.

7 Scoundrels use wicked methods,q

they make up evil schemesr

to destroy the poor with lies,

even when the plea of the needys is just.t

8 But the noble make noble plans,

and by noble deedsu they stand.v

The Women of Jerusalem

9 You womenw who are so complacent,

rise up and listenx to me;

you daughters who feel secure,y

hear what I have to say!

10 In little more than a yearz

you who feel secure will tremble;

the grape harvest will fail,a

and the harvest of fruit will not come.

11 Tremble,b you complacent women;

shudder, you daughters who feel secure!c

Strip off your fine clothesd

and wrap yourselves in rags.e

12 Beat your breastsf for the pleasant fields,

for the fruitful vinesg

13 and for the land of my people,

a land overgrown with thorns and briersh—

yes, mourni for all houses of merriment

and for this city of revelry.j

14 The fortressk will be abandoned,

the noisy city deserted;l

citadel and watchtowerm will become a wasteland forever,

the delight of donkeys,n a pasture for flocks,o

15 till the Spiritp is poured on us from on high,

and the desert becomes a fertile field,q

and the fertile field seems like a forest.r

16 The Lord’s justices will dwell in the desert,t

his righteousnessu live in the fertile field.

17 The fruit of that righteousnessv will be peace;w

its effect will be quietness and confidencex forever.

18 My people will live in peacefuly dwelling places,

in secure homes,z

in undisturbed places of rest.a

19 Though hailb flattens the forestc

and the city is leveledd completely,

20 how blessed you will be,

sowinge your seed by every stream,f

and letting your cattle and donkeys range free.g