< Isaiah 3 >

1 For behold, the Lord GOD of Hosts is about to remove from Jerusalem and Judah both supply and support: the whole supply of food and water,
For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah stay and staff, every stay of bread, and every stay of water;
2 the mighty man and the warrior, the judge and the prophet, the soothsayer and the elder,
The mighty man, and the man of war; the judge, and the prophet, and the diviner, and the elder;
3 the commander of fifty and the dignitary, the counselor, the cunning magician, and the clever enchanter.
The captain of fifty, and the man of rank, and the counsellor, and the cunning charmer, and the skilful enchanter.
4 “I will make mere lads their leaders, and children will rule over them.”
And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them.
5 The people will oppress one another, man against man, neighbor against neighbor; the young will rise up against the old, and the base against the honorable.
And the people shall oppress one another, every man his fellow, and every man his neighbour; the child shall behave insolently against the aged, and the base against the honourable,
6 A man will seize his brother within his father’s house: “You have a cloak—you be our leader! Take charge of this heap of rubble.”
For a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his father: 'Thou hast a mantle, be thou our ruler, and let this ruin be under thy hand.'
7 On that day he will cry aloud: “I am not a healer. I have no food or clothing in my house. Do not make me leader of the people!”
In that day shall he swear, saying: 'I will not be a healer; for in my house is neither bread nor a mantle; ye shall not make me ruler of a people.'
8 For Jerusalem has stumbled and Judah has fallen because they spoke and acted against the LORD, defying His glorious presence.
For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen; because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of His glory.
9 The expression on their faces testifies against them, and like Sodom they flaunt their sin; they do not conceal it. Woe to them, for they have brought disaster upon themselves.
The show 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 wrought evil unto themselves.
10 Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their labor.
Say ye of the righteous, that it shall be well with him; for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.
11 Woe to the wicked; disaster is upon them! For they will be repaid with what their hands have done.
Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him; for the work of his hands shall be done to him.
12 Youths oppress My people, and women rule over them. O My people, your guides mislead you; they turn you from your paths.
As for My people, a babe is their master, and women rule over them. O My people, they that lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.
13 The LORD arises to contend; He stands to judge the people.
The LORD standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the peoples.
14 The LORD brings this charge against the elders and leaders of His people: “You have devoured the vineyard; the plunder of the poor is in your houses.
The LORD will enter into judgment with the elders of His people, and the princes thereof: 'It is ye that have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses;
15 Why do you crush My people and grind the faces of the poor?”
What mean ye that ye crush My people, and grind the face of the poor?' saith the Lord, the GOD of hosts.
16 The LORD also says: “Because the daughters of Zion are haughty— walking with heads held high and wanton eyes, prancing and skipping as they go, jingling the bracelets on their ankles—
Moreover the LORD said: 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 the Lord will bring sores on the heads of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will make their foreheads bare.”
Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will lay bare their secret parts.
18 In that day the Lord will take away their finery: their anklets and headbands and crescents;
In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their anklets, and the fillets, and the crescents;
19 their pendants, bracelets, and veils;
the pendants, and the bracelets, and the veils;
20 their headdresses, ankle chains, and sashes; their perfume bottles and charms;
the headtires, and the armlets, and the sashes, and the corselets, and the amulets;
21 their signet rings and nose rings;
the rings, and the nose-jewels;
22 their festive robes, capes, cloaks, and purses;
the aprons, and the mantelets, and the cloaks, and the girdles;
23 and their mirrors, linen garments, tiaras, and shawls.
and the gauze robes, and the fine linen, and the turbans, and the mantles.
24 Instead of fragrance there will be a stench; instead of a belt, a rope; instead of styled hair, baldness; instead of fine clothing, sackcloth; instead of beauty, shame.
And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet spices there shall be rottenness; and instead of a girdle rags; and instead of curled hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; branding instead of beauty.
25 Your men will fall by the sword, and your warriors in battle.
Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war.
26 And the gates of Zion will lament and mourn; destitute, she will sit on the ground.
And her gates shall lament and mourn; and utterly bereft she shall sit upon the ground.

< Isaiah 3 >