Isaiah 3

1 For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, 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 man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the prudent, and the ancient,

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 honourable man, and the counsellor, and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent orator.

the captain of fifty and the respected citizen, the counselor, the expert craftsman and the skillful enchanter.

4 And I will give children [to be] their princes, and babes shall rule over them.

“I will place mere youths as their leaders, and the young will rule over them.

5 And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable.

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 When a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his father, [saying], Thou hast clothing, be thou our ruler, and [let] this ruin [be] under thy hand:

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 In that day shall he swear, saying, I will not be an healer; for in my house [is] neither bread nor clothing: make me not a 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 is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings [are] against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of his glory.

For Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen, because their speech and their actions are against Yahweh, defying the eyes of his glory.

9 The shew 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 rewarded evil unto 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 to the righteous, that [it shall be] well [with him: ] for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.

Tell the righteous person that it will be well, for they will eat the fruit of their deeds.

11 Woe unto the wicked! [it shall be] ill [with him: ] for the reward of his hands shall be given 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, they which lead thee cause [thee] to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.

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 The LORD standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people.

Yahweh stands up for an accusation; he is standing to accuse the people.

14 The LORD will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people, and the princes thereof: for ye have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil 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 beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor? saith the Lord GOD 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 Moreover the LORD saith, 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:

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 the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will discover their secret parts.

Therefore the Lord will form scabs on the heads of the daughters of Zion, and Yahweh will make them bald.

18 In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of [their] tinkling ornaments [about their feet], and [their] cauls, and [their] round tires like the moon,

On that day the Lord will remove their beautiful ankle jewelry, head bands, the crescent ornaments,

19 The chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers,

the ear pendants, the bracelets, and the veils;

20 The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings,

the headscarves, the ankle chains, the sashes, and the perfume boxes, and the lucky charms.

21 The rings, and nose jewels,

He will remove the rings and the nose jewels;

22 The changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping pins,

the festive robes, the mantles, the veils, and the handbags;

23 The glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the vails.

the hand mirrors, the fine linen, the head pieces, and the wraps.

24 And it shall come to pass, [that] instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; [and] burning 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, and thy mighty in the war.

Your men will fall by the sword, and your strong men will fall in war.

26 And 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.