Sowwith a view to righteousness,Reapin accordancewith kindness;Breakup your fallowground,For it is timeto seekthe LORDUntilHe comesto rainrighteousnesson you.
Seekthe LORDand His strength;SeekHis facecontinually.
May he comedownlike rainupon the mowngrass, Like showersthat waterthe earth.
The wickedearnsdeceptivewages,But he who sowsrighteousness[gets] a true reward.
Deathand lifeare in the powerof the tongue,And those who loveit will eatits fruit.
Sowyour seedin the morningand do not be idlein the evening,for you do not knowwhethermorningorevening sowing will succeed,or whetherbothof them alikewill be good.
Then He will give[you] rainfor the seedwhichyou will sowin the ground,and bread[from] the yieldof the ground,and it will be richand plenteous;on that dayyour livestockwill grazein a roomypasture.
Woeto those who godownto Egyptfor help[And] relyon horses,And trustin chariotsbecausethey are manyAnd in horsemenbecausethey are verystrong,But they do not lookto the HolyOneof Israel,norseekthe LORD!
How blessedwill you be, you who sowbesideallwaters,Who letout freelythe oxand the donkey.
For I will pourout wateron the thirsty[land] And streamson the dryground;I will pourout My Spiriton your offspringAnd My blessingon your descendants;
"Dripdown,O heavens,from above,And let the cloudspourdownrighteousness;Let the earthopenup and salvationbearfruit,And righteousnessspringup with it. I, the LORD,have createdit.
"Ifonlyyou had paidattentionto My commandments!Then your well-beingwould have beenlike a river,And your righteousnesslike the wavesof the sea.
"I will layit waste;It will not be prunedor hoed,But briarsand thornswill comeup. I will also chargethe cloudsto rainnorainon it."
"In righteousnessyou will be established;You will be farfrom oppression,for you will not fear;And from terror,for it will not comenearyou.
Seekthe LORDwhile He may be found;Callupon Him while He is near.
"In thosedaysand at that time,"declaresthe LORD,"the sonsof Israelwill come,[both] they and the sonsof Judahas well;they will goalong weepingas they go,and it will be the LORDtheir Godthey will seek.
"I will makethem and the placesaroundMy hilla blessing.And I will cause showersto comedownin their season;they will be showersof blessing.
Therefore, returnto your God,Observekindnessand justice,And waitfor your Godcontinually.
Return,O Israel,to the LORDyour God,For you have stumbledbecause of your iniquity.
"So let us know,let us presson to knowthe LORD.His goingforthis as certainas the dawn;And He will cometo us like the rain,Like the springrainwateringthe earth."
For they sowthe windAnd they reapthe whirlwind.The standinggrainhasnoheads;It yieldsnograin.Shouldit yield,strangerswould swallowit up.
Hateevil,lovegood,And establishjusticein the gate!Perhapsthe LORDGodof hostsMay be graciousto the remnantof Joseph.
For thussaysthe LORDto the houseof Israel,"SeekMe that you may live.
"Seekthe LORDthat you may live,OrHe will breakforthlike a fire,O houseof Joseph,And it will consumewith noneto quench[it] for Bethel,
He who madethe Pleiadesand OrionAnd changesdeepdarknessinto morning,Who also darkensday[into] night,Who callsfor the watersof the seaAnd poursthem out on the surfaceof the earth,The LORDis His name.
"Striveto enterthroughthe narrowdoor;for many,I tellyou, will seekto enterand will not be able.
EVENON MY BONDSLAVES, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN,I WILL IN THOSEDAYSPOUR FORTHOF MY SPIRITAnd they shall prophesy.
NowHe who suppliesseedto the sowerand breadfor foodwill supplyand multiplyyour seedfor sowing and increasethe harvestof your righteousness;
And the seed whose fruitis righteousnessis sownin peaceby thosewho makepeace.
