הֵן לְצֶדֶק יִמְלָךְ מֶלֶךְ וּלְשָׂרִים לְמִשְׁפָּט יָשֹׂרוּ

The prophet describes the fitting behavior for leadership and the good that will result from such behavior. He also describes the inevitable political and social downfall if the leaders’ flaws are not amended: Behold, for a king will reign with righteousness, and of princes it will be said: They will govern with justice.

וְהָיָה אִישׁ כְּמַחֲבֵא רוּחַ וְסֵתֶר זָרֶם כְּפַלְגֵי מַיִם בְּצָיוֹן כְּצֵל סֶלַע כָּבֵד בְּאֶרֶץ עֲיֵפָה

He, the king who reigns in righteousness, will be a man who is like a hiding place from the wind and a shelter from the torrent. All people will feel safe and secure in his fair leadership. The prophet conveys the same idea with different metaphors: He will be like streams in an arid place, like the shadow of a heavy rock in a parched land. The worthy king and princes are compared to reliable, vital sources of protection.

וְלֹא תִשְׁעֶינָה עֵינֵי רֹאִים וְאָזְנֵי שֹׁמְעִים תִּקְשַׁבְנָה

When protection and relief are provided, people will be able to perceive the truth with their senses: The eyes of those who see will not be diverted from perceiving matters properly, and the ears of those who hear will listen to the word of God.

ולְבַב נִמְהָרִים יָבִין לָדָעַת וּלְשׁוֹן עִלְּגִים תְּמַהֵר לְדַבֵּר צָחוֹת

Even the heart of the impulsive, the impatient and restless, who are unable to study, will discern in order to know the truth, and the tongue of the inarticulate will be swift to speak clearly.

לֹא יִקָּרֵא עוֹד לְנָבָל נָדִיב וּלְכִילַי לֹא יֵאָמֵר שׁוֹעַ

The knave [naval] will no longer be called generous. Naval often refers to a person who is ungenerous. Naval the Carmelite is described “as is his name is, so is he,” as he begrudged paying his debts. And of the miser it will not be said that he is magnanimous,

כִּי נָבָל — נְבָלָה יְדַבֵּר וְלִבּוֹ יַעֲשֶׂה אָוֶן לַעֲשׂוֹת חֹנֶף וּלְדַבֵּר אֶל ה' תּוֹעָה לְהָרִיק נֶפֶשׁ רָעֵב וּמַשְׁקֶה צָמֵא יַחְסִיר

for ultimately the knave will speak words of knavery, and his heart will do evil to engage in flattery and to speak aberrantly, about the Lord, to empty the souls of the hungry and to take away the drinks of the thirsty. The knave appropriates the property of the poor without considerations of integrity and morality.

וְכֵלַי — כֵּלָיו רָעִים; הוּא זִמּוֹת יָעָץ לְחַבֵּל עֲנִיִּים בְּאִמְרֵי שֶׁקֶר וּבְדַבֵּר אֶבְיוֹן מִשְׁפָּט

The miser, his instruments and activities are evil; he devises plots to harm the poor with false statements, and to afflict the indigent, when the indigent speaks justly and airs his rightful claims.

ונָדִיב — נְדִיבוֹת יָעָץ וְהוּא עַל נְדִיבוֹת יָקוּם

But in contrast, the truly generous counsels generosity and acts of kindness; and on generosity he will also stand, as he lives in accordance with his ideals. He is not satisfied merely with his reputation as a charitable individual.

נָשִׁים שַׁאֲנַנּוֹת קֹמְנָה שְׁמַעְנָה קוֹלִי בָּנוֹת בֹּטְחוֹת הַאְזֵנָּה אִמְרָתִי

From his description of the ideal state of affairs, the prophet turns to the present, unstable reality, which calls for lamentation and eulogy: Stand, complacent women, without any worries, and hear my voice; trusting daughters, listen to what I say. The world is calm at present, but there will come a time when your security will be undermined.

יָמִים עַל שָׁנָה תִּרְגַּזְנָה בֹּטְחוֹת כִּי כָּלָה בָצִיר אֹסֶף בְּלִי יָבוֹא

Days upon years, one year after another, trusting women will tremble and shake; as the grape harvest has perished, the harvest of fruit and produce will not come to your homes.

חִרְדוּ שַׁאֲנַנּוֹת! רְגָזָה בֹּטְחוֹת! פְּשֹׁטָה וְעֹרָה וחֲגוֹרָה עַל חֲלָצָיִם

Tremble, complacent women; shudder, trusting women, as hard times are coming; disrobe and bare yourselves, and place a belt upon your waist as a sign of mourning, or because you are going into exile with nothing.

עַל שָׁדַיִם סֹפְדִים עַל שְׂדֵי חֶמֶד עַל גֶּפֶן פֹּרִיָּה

They, those women, should beat on breasts, as was the custom at a time of lamentation, over the destruction of pleasant fields, over a fruitful vine which is no longer,

עַל אַדְמַת עַמִּי קוֹץ שָׁמִיר תַּעֲלֶה כִּי עַל כָּל בָּתֵי מָשׂוֹשׂ קִרְיָה עַלִּיזָה

over the land of my people where thorn bushes (see 27:4) will rise, also over all the houses of amusement, the former celebrations of the jovial city.

כִּי אַרְמוֹן נֻטָּשׁ הֲמוֹן עִיר עֻזָּב עֹפֶל וָבַחַן הָיָה בְעַד מְעָרוֹת עַד עוֹלָם מְשׂוֹשׂ פְּרָאִים מִרְעֵה עֲדָרִים

For a palace is forsaken, the city’s multitude has deserted, citadel, or stronghold, and watchtower (see 23:13) have become caves forever, a playground of wild asses, a pasture of flocks. Wild beasts shall wander in the ruins of the abandoned buildings.

עַד יֵעָרֶה עָלֵינוּ רוּחַ מִמָּרוֹם וְהָיָה מִדְבָּר לַכַּרְמֶל וְהַכַּרְמֶל לַיַּעַר יֵחָשֵׁב

Ultimately, things will get better: Until a spirit will be poured upon us from on high, to fix all that is damaged, and then the wilderness will become fertile land, a place for pasture and plantings, and fertile land will be counted as forest, as many thick trees will sprout there. Those abandoned, desolate places will once again be filled.

וְשָׁכַן בַּמִּדְבָּר מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה בַּכַּרְמֶל תֵּשֵׁב

Then justice will dwell even in the wilderness, and righteousness will abide in farmland. Justice and righteousness will be found everywhere.

וְהָיָה מַעֲשֵׂה הַצְּדָקָה שָׁלוֹם וַעֲבֹדַת הַצְּדָקָה הַשְׁקֵט וָבֶטַח עַד עוֹלָם

The act of righteousness will be performed in a state of peace and serenity, and the effect of righteousness will be quiet and security, without great effort or toil, forever. All those who require help will have the assurance that they will receive it.

וְיָשַׁב עַמִּי בִּנְוֵה שָׁלוֹם וּבְמִשְׁכְּנוֹת מִבְטַחִים וּבִמְנוּחֹת שַׁאֲנַנּוֹת

My people will abide in a peaceful abode, in secure dwellings and in tranquil resting places.

וּבָרַד בְּרֶדֶת הַיָּעַר וּבַשִּׁפְלָה תִּשְׁפַּל הָעִיר

When hail will fall on the forest, and into the plain, the city will be lowered; the hail and rain will be so hard that they will wash away the earth, until the ground is lowered.

אַשְׁרֵיכֶם זֹרְעֵי עַל כָּל מָיִם מְשַׁלְּחֵי רֶגֶל הַשּׁוֹר וְהַחֲמוֹר

Even then, happy are you who sit securely and lead your lives in peace, as you will continue to sow upon all types of water, despite all the dangers. You are those who send forth the foot of the ox and the donkey to plow and work the land.