Isaiah 3

1 For behold, the sovereign Lord of hosts will take away, from Jerusalem and from Judah, the powerful and the strong: all the strength from bread, and all the strength from water;

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;

2 the strong man, and the man of war, the judge and the prophet, and the seer and the elder;

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;

3 the leader over fifty and the honorable in appearance; and the counselor, and the wise among builders, and the skillful in mystical speech.

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.

4 And I will provide children as their leaders, and the effeminate will rule over them.

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

5 And the people will rush, man against man, and each one against his neighbor. The child shall rebel against the elder, and the ignoble against the noble.

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.

6 For a man will apprehend his brother, from the household of his own father, saying: “The vestment is yours. Be our leader, but let this ruin be under your hand.”

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:

7 In that day, he will respond by saying: “I am not a healer, and there is no bread or vestment in my house. Do not choose to appoint me as a leader of the people.”

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.

8 For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah has fallen, because their words and their plans are against the Lord, in order to provoke the eyes of his majesty.

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.

9 The acknowledgement of their countenance is their response. For they have proclaimed their own sin, like Sodom; and they have not concealed it. Woe to their souls! For evils are being repaid to them.

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.

10 Tell the just man that it is well, for he shall eat from the fruit from his own plans.

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

11 Woe to the impious man immersed in evil! For retribution will be given to him from his own hands.

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

12 As for my people, their oppressors have despoiled them, and women have ruled over them. My people, who call you blessed, the same are deceiving you and disrupting the path of your steps.

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.

13 The Lord stands for judgment, and he stands to judge the people.

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

14 The Lord will enter into judgment with the elders of his people, and with their leaders. For you have been devouring the vineyard, and the plunder from the poor is in your house.

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.

15 Why do you wear down my people, and grind up the faces of the poor, says the Lord, the God of hosts?

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.

16 And the Lord said: Because the daughters of Zion have been lifted up, and have walked with extended necks and winking eyes, because they have continued on, walking noisily and advancing with a pretentious stride,

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:

17 the Lord will make the heads of the daughters of Zion bald, and the Lord will strip them of the locks of their hair.

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

18 In that day, the Lord will take away their decorative shoes,

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

19 and the little moons and chains, and the necklaces and bracelets, and the hats,

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

20 and the ornaments for their hair, and the anklets, and the touches of myrrh and little bottles of perfumes, and the earrings,

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

21 and the rings, and the jewels hanging on their foreheads,

The rings, and the nose-jewels,

22 and the continual changes in appearance, and the short skirts, and the fine linens and embroidered cloths,

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

23 and the mirrors, and scarves, and ribbons, and their sparse clothing.

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

24 And in place of a sweet fragrance, there will be stench. And in place of a belt, there will be a rope. And in place of stylish hair, there will be baldness. And in place of a blouse, there will be haircloth.

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.

25 Likewise, your most handsome men will fall by the sword, and your strong men will fall in battle.

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

26 And her gates will grieve and mourn. And she will sit on the ground, desolate.

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