< Isaiah 3 >

1 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;
See, the Lord Yahweh of hosts is about to take away from Jerusalem and from Judah support and staff: the whole supply of bread and the whole supply of water,
2 The mighty man, and the warrior, The judge, the prophet, the diviner, and the sage,
the mighty man and the warrior, the judge and the prophet, the one who practices divination and the elder,
3 The captain of fifty, and the honorable man, The counsellor, the expert in arts, and the skilful in charms.
the captain of fifty and the respected citizen, the counselor, the expert craftsman and the skillful enchanter.
4 And I will make boys their princes, And children shall rule over them.
“I will place mere youths as their leaders, and the young will rule over them.
5 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.
The people will be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbor; the child will insult the elderly, and the degraded will challenge the honorable.
6 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!
A man will even take hold of his brother in his father's house and say, 'You have a coat; be our ruler, and let this ruin be in your hands.'
7 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!
On that day he will shout and say, 'I will not be a healer; I have no bread or clothing. You will not make me ruler of the people.'”
8 For Jerusalem tottereth, and Judah falleth, Because their tongues and their deeds are against Jehovah, To provoke his holy eyes.
For Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen, because their speech and their actions are against Yahweh, defying the eyes of his glory.
9 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!
The look on their faces witnesses against them; and they tell of their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! For they have completed a catastrophe for themselves.
10 Say ye of the righteous that it shall be well with him, For he shall eat the fruit of his doings.
Tell the righteous person that it will be well, for they will eat the fruit of their deeds.
11 Woe to the wicked, it shall be ill with him, For the work of his hands shall be repaid him!
Woe to the wicked! It will go badly for him, for the recompense of his hands will be done to him.
12 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!
My people—children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. My people, those who guide you lead you astray and confuse the direction of your path.
13 Jehovah standeth up to maintain his cause; He standeth up to judge his people.
Yahweh stands up for an accusation; he is standing to accuse the people.
14 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!
Yahweh will come with judgment against the elders of his people and their leaders: “You have ruined the vineyard; the plunder from the poor is in your houses.
15 What mean ye, that ye crush my people, And grind the faces of the poor?” Saith Jehovah, the Lord of hosts.
Why do you crush my people and grind the faces of the poor?” This is the declaration of the Lord Yahweh of hosts.
16 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,
Yahweh says that because the daughters of Zion are proud, they walk with their necks extended, with flirting eyes, walking with tiny steps as they go, making tinkling sounds from bracelets on their ankles.
17 Therefore will the Lord make their heads bald, And Jehovah will expose their nakedness.
Therefore the Lord will form scabs on the heads of the daughters of Zion, and Yahweh will make them bald.
18 In that day shall the Lord take from them The ornaments of the foot-clasps, and the net-works, and the crescents;
On that day the Lord will remove their beautiful ankle jewelry, head bands, the crescent ornaments,
19 The ear-rings, and the bracelets, and the veils;
the ear pendants, the bracelets, and the veils;
20 The turbans, and the ankle-chains, and the belts; The perfume-boxes, and the amulets;
the headscarves, the ankle chains, the sashes, and the perfume boxes, and the lucky charms.
21 The finger-rings, and the nose-jewels;
He will remove the rings and the nose jewels;
22 The embroidered robes, and the tunics, and the cloaks, and the purses;
the festive robes, the mantles, the veils, and the handbags;
23 The mirrors, and the linen shifts, and the head-bands, and the large veils.
the hand mirrors, the fine linen, the head pieces, and the wraps.
24 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.
Instead of sweet perfume there will be stench; and instead of a sash, a rope; instead of well-arranged hair, baldness; and instead of a robe, a covering of sackcloth; and branding instead of beauty.
25 Thy men shall fall by the sword, Yea, thy mighty men in battle;
Your men will fall by the sword, and your strong men will fall in war.
26 Her gates shall lament and mourn, And she, being desolate, shall sit upon the ground.
Jerusalem's gates will lament and mourn; and she will be alone and sit upon the ground.

< Isaiah 3 >