Isaiah 3

1 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,

For the Lord, the Lord of armies, is about to take away from Jerusalem and from Judah all their support; their store of bread and of water;

2 the mighty man and the warrior, the judge and the prophet, the one who practices divination and the elder,

The strong man and the man of war; the judge and the prophet; the man who has knowledge of secret arts, and the man who is wise because of his years;

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

The captain of fifty, and the man of high position, and the wise guide, and the wonder-worker, and he who makes use of secret powers.

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

And I will make children their chiefs, and foolish ones will have rule over them.

5 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.

And the people will be crushed, every one by his neighbour; the young will be full of pride against the old, and those of low position will be lifted up against the noble.

6 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.'

When one man puts his hand on another in his father's house, and says, You have clothing, be our ruler and be responsible for us in our sad condition:

7 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.'”

Then he will say with an oath, I will not be a helper, for in my house there is no bread or clothing: I will not let you make me a ruler of the people.

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

For Jerusalem has become feeble, and destruction has come on Judah, because their words and their acts are against the Lord, moving the eyes of his glory to wrath.

9 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.

Their respect for a man's position is a witness against them; and their sin is open to the view of all; like that of Sodom, it is not covered. A curse on their soul! for the measure of their sin is full.

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

Happy is the upright man! for he will have joy of the fruit of his ways.

11 Woe to the wicked! It will go badly for him, for the recompense of his hands will be done to him.

Unhappy is the sinner! for the reward of his evil doings will come on him.

12 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.

As for my people, their ruler is acting like a child, and those who have authority over them are women. O my people, your guides are the cause of your wandering, turning your footsteps out of the right way.

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

The Lord is ready to take up his cause against his people, and is about to come forward as their judge.

14 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.

The Lord comes to be the judge of their responsible men and of their rulers: it is you who have made waste the vine-garden, and in your houses is the property of the poor which you have taken by force.

15 Why do you crush my people and grind the faces of the poor?” This is the declaration of the Lord Yahweh of hosts.

By what right are you crushing my people, and putting a bitter yoke on the necks of the poor? This is the word of the Lord, the Lord of armies.

16 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.

Again, the Lord has said, Because the daughters of Zion are full of pride, and go with outstretched necks and wandering eyes, with their foot-chains sounding when they go:

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

The Lord will send disease on the heads of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will let their secret parts be seen.

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

In that day the Lord will take away the glory of their foot-rings, and their sun-jewels, and their moon-ornaments,

19 the ear pendants, the bracelets, and the veils;

The ear-rings, and the chains, and the delicate clothing,

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

The head-bands, and the arm-chains, and the worked bands, and the perfume-boxes, and the jewels with secret powers,

21 He will remove the rings and the nose jewels;

The rings, and the nose-jewels,

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

The feast-day dresses, and the robes, and the wide skirts, and the handbags,

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

The looking-glasses, and the fair linen, and the high head-dresses, and the veils.

24 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.

And in the place of sweet spices will be an evil smell, and for a fair band a thick cord; for a well-dressed head there will be the cutting-off of the hair, and for a beautiful robe there will be the clothing of sorrow; the mark of the prisoner in place of the ornaments of the free.

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

Your men will be put to the sword, and your men of war will come to destruction in the fight.

26 Jerusalem's gates will lament and mourn; and she will be alone and sit upon the ground.

And in the public places of her towns will be sorrow and weeping; and she will be seated on the earth, waste and uncovered.