Isaiah 3
1 For behold, the Lord, YHWH of Hosts, Is turning aside from Jerusalem and from Judah [Both] stay and staff: Every stay of bread and every 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 Mighty and man of war, judge and prophet, And diviner and elderly,
their strong fighters and soldiers, leaders and prophets, fortune-tellers and elders,
3 Head of fifty, and accepted of faces, And counselor, and wise craftsmen, And discerning charmer.
army captains, state officials, counselors, craftsmen, masters of magic, and experts in the occult.
4 And I have made youths their heads, And sucklings rule over them.
I will give them boys as their leaders who will rule over them in childish ways.
5 And the people has exacted—man on man, Even a man on his neighbor, The youths enlarge themselves against the aged, And the lightly esteemed against the honored.
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 one lays hold on his brother, Of the house of his father, [by] the garment, “Come, you are a ruler to us, And this ruin [is] under your 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 He lifts up, in that day, saying, “I am not a binder up, And in my house is neither bread nor garment, You do not make me a ruler 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 For Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen, For their tongue and their doings [are] against YHWH, To provoke 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 appearance of their faces witnessed against them, And their sin, as Sodom, they declared, They have not hidden! Woe to their soul, For they have done evil to themselves.
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 to the righteous that [it is] good, Because they eat the fruit of their doings.
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 to the wicked—evil, Because the deed of his hand is done to him.
But tragedy comes to the wicked, for what they did will be done to them.
12 My people—its exactors [are] sucklings, And women have ruled over it. My people—your eulogists are causing to err, And the way of your paths swallowed up.
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 YHWH has stood up to plead, And He is standing to judge the peoples.
The Lord stands up to prosecute his case. The Lord stands up to judge the people.
14 YHWH enters into judgment With [the] elderly of His people, and its heads: “And you, you have consumed the vineyard, Plunder of the poor [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 Why? Why do you [do this]? You bruise My people, And you grind the faces of the poor.” A declaration of the Lord, YHWH of Hosts, And YHWH says:
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 “Because that daughters of Zion have been haughty, And they walk stretching out the neck, And deceiving [with] the eyes, They go walking and mincing, And they make a jingling with their feet,
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 The Lord has also scabbed The crown of the head of daughters of Zion, And YHWH exposes their simplicity.
So the Lord will make their heads full of scabs, and the Lord will expose their private parts.
18 In that day the Lord turns aside The beauty of the jingling ornaments, And of the embroidered works, And of the crescents,
At that time the Lord will remove their fine ornaments: ankle bracelets, headbands, crescent necklaces,
19 Of the pendants, and the bracelets, and the veils,
pendant earrings, bracelets, veils,
20 Of the headdresses, and the ornaments of the legs, And of the bands, And of the perfume boxes, and the amulets,
headdresses, bangles, sashes, perfume holders, lucky charms,
21 Of the seals, and of the nose-rings,
rings, nose rings,
22 Of the costly apparel, and of the mantles, And of the coverings, and of the purses,
festival clothes, gowns, cloaks, handbags,
23 Of the mirrors, and of the linen garments, And of the hoods, and of the veils,
hand mirrors, fine linen underwear, head wraps, and shawls.
24 And it has been, instead of spice is muck, And instead of a girdle, a rope, And instead of curled work, baldness, And instead of a stomacher a girdle of sackcloth.
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 For instead of glory, your men fall by sword, And your might in battle.
Your men will be killed by the sword; your soldiers will die in battle.
26 And her openings have lamented and mourned, Indeed, she has been emptied, she sits on the earth!”
The gates of Zion will cry and mourn. The city will be like a banished woman sitting on the ground.
