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 Lord, Jehovah of hosts, Taketh away from Jerusalem and from Judah every stay and support; 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 warrior, The judge, the prophet, the diviner, and the sage,
3 army captains, state officials, counselors, craftsmen, masters of magic, and experts in the occult.
The captain of fifty, and the honorable man, The counsellor, the expert in arts, and the skilful in charms.
4 I will give them boys as their leaders who will rule over them in childish ways.
And I will make boys their princes, And children 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 oppress one another, Man striving against man, and neighbor against neighbor; The boy shall behave himself insolently toward the aged, And the base toward the honorable.
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!”
Then shall a man take hold of his brother in his father's house, [[and say, ]] Thou hast yet clothing, Be thou our ruler, And take this ruin into thy hands!
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!”
But in that day shall he lift up his hand, and say: I am no healer; In my house is neither bread nor raiment; Make not me 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 tottereth, and Judah falleth, Because their tongues and their deeds are against Jehovah, To provoke his holy eyes.
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.
Their very countenance witnesseth against them; They publish their sin like Sodom; they hide it not; Woe to them, for they bring evil upon 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 of the righteous that it shall be well with him, For he shall eat the fruit of his doings.
11 But tragedy comes to the wicked, for what they did will be done to them.
Woe to the wicked, it shall be ill with him, For the work of his hands shall be repaid 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, thy leaders cause thee to err, And destroy the way in which thou walkest!
13 The Lord stands up to prosecute his case. The Lord stands up to judge the people.
Jehovah standeth up to maintain his cause; He standeth up to judge his 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.
Jehovah entereth into judgment with the elders of his people, and their princes: “So then ye have consumed the vineyard; The plunder 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 crush my people, And grind the faces of the poor?” Saith Jehovah, the Lord 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.
Thus, also, saith Jehovah: Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, And walk with outstretched necks, And glance their eyes wantonly, Mincing their steps as they go, And tinkling with their foot-clasps,
17 So the Lord will make their heads full of scabs, and the Lord will expose their private parts.
Therefore will the Lord make their heads bald, And Jehovah will expose their nakedness.
18 At that time the Lord will remove their fine ornaments: ankle bracelets, headbands, crescent necklaces,
In that day shall the Lord take from them The ornaments of the foot-clasps, and the net-works, and the crescents;
19 pendant earrings, bracelets, veils,
The ear-rings, and the bracelets, and the veils;
20 headdresses, bangles, sashes, perfume holders, lucky charms,
The turbans, and the ankle-chains, and the belts; The perfume-boxes, and the amulets;
21 rings, nose rings,
The finger-rings, and the nose-jewels;
22 festival clothes, gowns, cloaks, handbags,
The embroidered robes, and the tunics, and the cloaks, and the purses;
23 hand mirrors, fine linen underwear, head wraps, and shawls.
The mirrors, and the linen shifts, and the head-bands, and the large veils.
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 instead of perfume there shall be corruption; Instead of a belt, a rope; Instead of curled locks, baldness; Instead of a wide mantle, a covering of sackcloth; Fire-scars 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, Yea, thy mighty men in battle;
26 The gates of Zion will cry and mourn. The city will be like a banished woman sitting on the ground.
Her gates shall lament and mourn, And she, being desolate, shall sit upon the ground.
