Isaiah 3

1 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;

For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah stay and staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water;

2 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;

the mighty man, and the man of war; the judge, and the prophet, and the diviner, and the ancient;

3 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.

the captain of fifty, and the honourable man, and the counsellor, and the cunning artificer, and the skilful enchanter.

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

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

5 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.

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.

6 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:

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

7 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.

in that day shall he lift up [his voice], saying, I will not be an healer; for in my house is neither bread nor clothing: ye shall not make me ruler of the people.

8 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.

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 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.

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.

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

Say ye of the righteous, that [it shall be] well [with him]: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.

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

Woe unto the wicked! [it shall be] ill [with him]: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.

12 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.

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.

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

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

14 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.

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 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.

what mean ye that ye crush my people, and grind the face of the poor? saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts.

16 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:

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

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 the glory of their foot-rings, and their sun-jewels, and their moon-ornaments,

In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their anklets, and the cauls, and the crescents;

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

the pendants, and the bracelets, and the mufflers;

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

the headtires, and the ankle chains, and the sashes, and the perfume boxes, and the amulets;

21 The rings, and the nose-jewels,

the rings, and the nose jewels;

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

the festival robes, and the mantles, and the shawls, and the satchels;

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

the hand mirrors, and the fine linen, and the turbans, and the veils.

24 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.

And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet spices there shall be rottenness; and instead of a girdle a rope; and instead of well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth: branding instead of beauty.

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

Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war.

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

And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she shall be desolate and sit upon the ground.