Isaiah 3

1 For lo, the Lord God of hostes will take away from Ierusalem and from Iudah the stay and the strength: euen all the staye of bread, and all the stay of water,

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,

2 The strong man, and the man of warre, the iudge and the prophet, the prudent and the aged,

their strong fighters and soldiers, leaders and prophets, fortune-tellers and elders,

3 The captaine of fiftie, and the honourable, and the counseller, and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent man.

army captains, state officials, counselors, craftsmen, masters of magic, and experts in the occult.

4 And I will appoint children to bee their princes, and babes shall rule ouer them.

I will give them boys as their leaders who will rule over them in childish ways.

5 The people shalbe oppressed one of another, and euery one by his neighbour: the children shall presume against the ancient, and the vile against the honourable.

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.

6 When euery one shall take holde of his brother of the house of his father, and say, Thou hast clothing: thou shalt bee our prince, and let this fall be vnder thine hand.

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!”

7 In that day hee shall sweare, saying, I cannot bee an helper: for there is no bread in mine house, nor clothing: therefore make me no prince of the people.

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!”

8 Doubtlesse Ierusalem is fallen, and Iudah is fallen downe, because their tongue and workes are against the Lord, to prouoke the eyes of his glory.

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.

9 The triall of their countenance testifieth against them, yea, they declare their sinnes as Sodom, they hide them not. Wo be vnto their soules: for they haue rewarded euil vnto themselues.

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.

10 Say ye, Surely it shalbe well with the iust: for they shall eate the fruite of their workes.

Tell those who live right that they will be fine, for they will be happy to receive the reward for what they have done.

11 Woe be to the wicked, it shalbe euill with him: for the reward of his handes shalbe giuen him.

But tragedy comes to the wicked, for what they did will be done to them.

12 Children are extortioners of my people, and women haue rule ouer them: O my people, they that leade thee, cause thee to erre, and destroy the way of thy paths.

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.

13 The Lord standeth vp to pleade, yea, hee standeth to iudge the people.

The Lord stands up to prosecute his case. The Lord stands up to judge the people.

14 The Lord shall enter into iudgement with the Ancients of his people and the princes thereof: for ye haue eaten vp the vineyarde: the spoyle of the poore is in your houses.

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.

15 What haue ye to do, that ye beate my people to pieces, and grinde the faces of the poore, saith the Lord, euen the Lord of hoasts?

Why have you crushed my people? Why have you ground the faces of the poor into the dirt? the Lord Almighty demands to know.

16 The Lord also saith, Because the daughters of Zion are hautie, and walke with stretched out neckes, and with wandering eyes, walking and minsing as they goe, and making a tinkeling with their feete,

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.

17 Therefore shall the Lord make the heades of the daughters of Zion balde, and the Lord shall discouer their secrete partes.

So the Lord will make their heads full of scabs, and the Lord will expose their private parts.

18 In that day shall the Lord take away the ornament of the slippers, and the calles, and the round tyres,

At that time the Lord will remove their fine ornaments: ankle bracelets, headbands, crescent necklaces,

19 The sweete balles, and the brasselets, and the bonnets,

pendant earrings, bracelets, veils,

20 The tyres of the head, and the sloppes, and the head bandes, and the tablets, and the earings,

headdresses, bangles, sashes, perfume holders, lucky charms,

21 The rings and the mufflers,

rings, nose rings,

22 The costly apparell and the vailes, and the wimples, and the crisping pinnes,

festival clothes, gowns, cloaks, handbags,

23 And the glasses and the fine linen, and the hoodes, and the launes.

hand mirrors, fine linen underwear, head wraps, and shawls.

24 And in steade of sweete sauour, there shall be stinke, and in steade of a girdle, a rent, and in steade of dressing of the heare, baldnesse, and in steade of a stomacher, a girding of sackecloth, and burning in steade of beautie.

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.

25 Thy men shall fall by the sworde, and thy strength in the battell.

Your men will be killed by the sword; your soldiers will die in battle.

26 Then shall her gates mourne and lament, and she, being desolate, shall sit vpon the ground.

The gates of Zion will cry and mourn. The city will be like a banished woman sitting on the ground.