Isaiah 3
1 Take a look! The Lord, the Lord Almighty, is going to take away from Jerusalem and from Judah everything they rely on—all their stocks of food and all means of supplying water,
For, behold, the Master, YHWH of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water,
2 their strong fighters and soldiers, leaders and prophets, fortune-tellers and elders,
The mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the prudent, and the ancient,
3 army captains, state officials, counselors, craftsmen, masters of magic, and experts in the occult.
The captain of fifty, and the honourable man, and the counseller, and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent orator.
4 I will give them boys as their leaders who will rule over them in childish ways.
And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them.
5 People will mistreat one another, person against person, neighbor against neighbor; the young will assault the old, and the dregs of society will attack those who are reputable.
And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable.
6 A man will grab hold of one of his brothers in their father's house, and tell him, “You've got a coat, you can be our leader! Take over the running of this pile of ruins!”
When a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his father, saying, Thou hast clothing, be thou our ruler, and let this ruin be under thy hand:
7 But immediately his brother will shout back, “No, not me! I can't take care of this family's problems. In my house I don't have food or clothes. Don't put me in charge as your leader!”
In that day shall he swear, saying, I will not be an healer; for in my house is neither bread nor clothing: make me not a ruler of the people.
8 For Jerusalem has collapsed and Judah has fallen because of what they said and did in opposition to the Lord, rebelling right in front of him.
For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against YHWH, to provoke the eyes of his glory.
9 The look on their faces proves what they've done, proclaiming their sin just like Sodom—they don't even bother to try and hide it! Tragedy is coming to them! They have brought disaster down upon themselves.
The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves.
10 Tell those who live right that they will be fine, for they will be happy to receive the reward for what they have done.
Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.
11 But tragedy comes to the wicked, for what they did will be done to them.
Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.
12 Leaders who act in childish ways mistreat my people; women rule over them. My people, your leaders are misleading you, confusing you about which way to go.
As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.
13 The Lord stands up to prosecute his case. The Lord stands up to judge the people.
YHWH standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people.
14 The Lord comes to give his judgment against the elders and leaders of his people: You are the ones who have destroyed my vineyard; your houses are full with everything you've stolen from the poor.
YHWH will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people, and the princes thereof: for ye have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses.
15 Why have you crushed my people? Why have you ground the faces of the poor into the dirt? the Lord Almighty demands to know.
What mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor? saith the Master YHWH of hosts.
16 The Lord says, The women of Zion are so conceited, walking with their heads held high, giving flirty glances, tripping along with their ankle bracelets jingling.
Moreover YHWH saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet:
17 So the Lord will make their heads full of scabs, and the Lord will expose their private parts.
Therefore YHWH will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and YHWH will discover their secret parts.
18 At that time the Lord will remove their fine ornaments: ankle bracelets, headbands, crescent necklaces,
In that day YHWH will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their cauls, and their round tires like the moon,
19 pendant earrings, bracelets, veils,
The chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers,
20 headdresses, bangles, sashes, perfume holders, lucky charms,
The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings,
21 rings, nose rings,
The rings, and nose jewels,
22 festival clothes, gowns, cloaks, handbags,
The changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping pins,
23 hand mirrors, fine linen underwear, head wraps, and shawls.
The glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the vails.
24 What will happen is that instead of smelling of perfume, she will stink. Instead of a wearing a sash, she will be tied with a rope. Instead of styled hair, she will be bald. Instead of fine clothes, she will wear sackcloth. Instead of looking beautiful, she will be shamed.
And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; and burning instead of beauty.
25 Your men will be killed by the sword; your soldiers will die in battle.
Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war.
26 The gates of Zion will cry and mourn. The city will be like a banished woman sitting on the ground.
And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground.
