Isaiah 3

1 For the Lord, the Lord of armies, is about to take away from Jerusalem and from Judah all their support; their store of bread and of water;

For behold the sovereign the Lord of hosts shall take away from Jerusalem, and from Juda the valiant and the strong, the whole strength of bread, and the whole strength of water.

2 The strong man and the man of war; the judge and the prophet; the man who has knowledge of secret arts, and the man who is wise because of his years;

The strong man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the cunning man, and the ancient.

3 The captain of fifty, and the man of high position, and the wise guide, and the wonder-worker, and he who makes use of secret powers.

The captain over fifty, and the honourable in countenance, and the counsellor, and the architect, and the skillful in eloquent speech.

4 And I will make children their chiefs, and foolish ones will have rule over them.

And I will give children to be their princes, and the effeminate shall rule over them.

5 And the people will be crushed, every one by his neighbour; the young will be full of pride against the old, and those of low position will be lifted up against the noble.

And the people shall rush one upon another, and every man against his neighbour: the child shall make it tumult against the ancient, and the base against the honourable.

6 When one man puts his hand on another in his father's house, and says, You have clothing, be our ruler and be responsible for us in our sad condition:

For a man shall take hold or his brother, one of the house of his father, saying: Thou hast a garment, be thou our ruler, and let this ruin be under thy hand.

7 Then he will say with an oath, I will not be a helper, for in my house there is no bread or clothing: I will not let you make me a ruler of the people.

In that day he shall answer, saying: I am no healer, and in my house there is no bread, nor clothing: make me not ruler of the people.

8 For Jerusalem has become feeble, and destruction has come on Judah, because their words and their acts are against the Lord, moving the eyes of his glory to wrath.

For Jerusalem is ruined, and Juda is fallen: because their tongue, and their devices are against the Lord, to provoke the eyes of his majesty.

9 Their respect for a man's position is a witness against them; and their sin is open to the view of all; like that of Sodom, it is not covered. A curse on their soul! for the measure of their sin is full.

The shew of their countenance hath answered them: and they have proclaimed abroad their sin as Sodom, and they have not hid it: woe to their souls, for evils are rendered to them.

10 Happy is the upright man! for he will have joy of the fruit of his ways.

Say to the just man that it is well, for he shall eat the fruit of his doings.

11 Unhappy is the sinner! for the reward of his evil doings will come on him.

Woe to the wicked unto evil: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.

12 As for my people, their ruler is acting like a child, and those who have authority over them are women. O my people, your guides are the cause of your wandering, turning your footsteps out of the right way.

As for my people, their oppressors have stripped them, and women have ruled over them. O my people, they that call thee blessed, the same deceive thee, and destroy the way of thy steps.

13 The Lord is ready to take up his cause against his people, and is about to come forward as their judge.

The Lord standeth up to judge, and he standeth to judge the people.

14 The Lord comes to be the judge of their responsible men and of their rulers: it is you who have made waste the vine-garden, and in your houses is the property of the poor which you have taken by force.

The Lord will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people, and its princes: for you have devoured the vineyard, and the spoil of the poor is in your house.

15 By what right are you crushing my people, and putting a bitter yoke on the necks of the poor? This is the word of the Lord, the Lord of armies.

Why do you consume my people, and grind the faces of the poor? saith the Lord the God of hosts.

16 Again, the Lord has said, Because the daughters of Zion are full of pride, and go with outstretched necks and wandering eyes, with their foot-chains sounding when they go:

And the Lord said: Because the daughters of Sion are haughty, and have walked with stretched out necks, and wanton glances of their eyes, and made a noise as they walked with their feet and moved in a set pace:

17 The Lord will send disease on the heads of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will let their secret parts be seen.

The Lord will make bald the crown of the head of the daughters of Sion, and the Lord will discover their hair.

18 In that day the Lord will take away the glory of their foot-rings, and their sun-jewels, and their moon-ornaments,

In that day the Lord will take away the ornaments of shoes, and little moons,

19 The ear-rings, and the chains, and the delicate clothing,

And chains and necklaces, and bracelets, and bonnets,

20 The head-bands, and the arm-chains, and the worked bands, and the perfume-boxes, and the jewels with secret powers,

And bodkins, and ornaments of the legs, and tablets, and sweet balls, and earrings,

21 The rings, and the nose-jewels,

And rings, and jewels hanging on the forehead,

22 The feast-day dresses, and the robes, and the wide skirts, and the handbags,

And changes of apparel, and short cloaks, and fine linen, and crisping pins,

23 The looking-glasses, and the fair linen, and the high head-dresses, and the veils.

And looking-glasses, and lawns, and headbands, and fine veils.

24 And in the place of sweet spices will be an evil smell, and for a fair band a thick cord; for a well-dressed head there will be the cutting-off of the hair, and for a beautiful robe there will be the clothing of sorrow; the mark of the prisoner in place of the ornaments of the free.

And instead of a sweet smell there shall be stench, and instead of a girdle, a cord, and instead of curled hair, baldness, and instead of a stomacher, haircloth.

25 Your men will be put to the sword, and your men of war will come to destruction in the fight.

Thy fairest men also shall fall by the sword, and thy valiant ones in battle.

26 And in the public places of her towns will be sorrow and weeping; and she will be seated on the earth, waste and uncovered.

And her gates shall lament and mourn, and she shall sit desolate on the ground.