Isaiah 3

1 For behold, the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, will take away from Jerusalem and from Judah stay and staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole 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 mighty man and the man of war, the judge and the prophet, and the diviner and the elder,

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

3 the captain of fifty, and the honourable man, and the counsellor, and the clever among artificers, and the one versed in enchantments.

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

4 And I will appoint youths as their princes, and children shall rule over them.

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

5 And the people shall be oppressed one by the other, and each by his neighbour; the child will be insolent against the elder, and the base 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 a man shall take hold of his brother, in his father's house, [and shall say: ] Thou hast clothing; be our chief, and let this ruin be under thy 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 will lift up [his hand] in that day, saying, I cannot be a healer, and in my house there is neither bread nor clothing; ye shall not make me a chief 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 stumbleth and Judah falleth, because their tongue and their doings are against Jehovah, 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 look of their face doth witness against them, and they declare their sin as Sodom: they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have brought evil upon 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 ye of the righteous that it shall be well [with him], for they shall 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 unto the wicked! it shall be ill [with him], because the desert of his hands shall be rendered unto him.

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

12 [As for] my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. My people! they that guide thee mislead [thee], 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 Jehovah setteth himself to plead, and standeth to judge the peoples.

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

14 Jehovah will enter into judgment with the elders of his people and their princes, [saying: ] It is ye that have eaten up the vineyard: the spoil 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 What mean ye that ye crush my people, and grind the faces of the afflicted? saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts.

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 And Jehovah said, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched-out neck and wanton eyes, and go along mincing, and making a tinkling 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 therefore the Lord will make bald the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and Jehovah will lay bare their secret parts.

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

18 In that day the Lord will take away the ornament of anklets, and the little suns and crescents,

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

19 the pearl-drops, and the bracelets, and the veils,

pendant earrings, bracelets, veils,

20 the head-dresses, and the stepping chains, and the girdles, and the scent-boxes, and the amulets;

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

21 the finger-rings, and the nose-rings;

rings, nose rings,

22 the festival-robes, and the tunics, and the mantles, and the wallets;

festival clothes, gowns, cloaks, handbags,

23 the mirrors, and the fine linen bodices, and the turbans, and the flowing veils.

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

24 And it shall come to pass, instead of perfume there shall be rottenness; and instead of a girdle, a rope; and instead of well-set hair, baldness; and instead of a robe of display, a girding of sackcloth; brand instead of beauty.

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 sword, and thy mighty in the fight;

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

26 and her gates shall lament and mourn; and, stripped, she shall sit upon the ground.

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