1 F or, 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,

For behold, the Lord God of hosts is going to remove from Jerusalem and Judah Both supply and support, the whole supply of bread And the whole supply of water;

2 t he 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 diviner and the elder,

3 t he captain of fifty, and the honourable man, and the counsellor, and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent orator.

The captain of fifty and the honorable man, The counselor and the expert artisan, And the skillful enchanter.

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

And I will make mere lads their princes, And capricious children will rule over them,

5 A nd 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.

And the people will be oppressed, Each one by another, and each one by his neighbor; The youth will storm against the elder And the inferior against the honorable.

6 W hen 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:

When a man lays hold of his brother in his father’s house, saying, “You have a cloak, you shall be our ruler, And these ruins will be under your charge,”

7 i n 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.

He will protest on that day, saying, “I will not be your healer, For in my house there is neither bread nor cloak; You should not appoint me ruler of the people.”

8 F or 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 the Lord, To rebel against His glorious presence.

9 T he 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 expression of their faces bears witness against them, And they display their sin like Sodom; They do not even conceal it. Woe to them! For they have brought evil on themselves.

10 S ay ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.

Say to the righteous that it will go well with them, For they will eat the fruit of their actions.

11 W oe 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 with him, For what he deserves will be done to him.

12 A s 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.

O My people! Their oppressors are children, And women rule over them. O My people! Those who guide you lead you astray And confuse the direction of your paths. God Will Judge

13 T he Lord standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people.

The Lord arises to contend, And stands to judge the people.

14 T he 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.

The Lord enters into judgment with the elders and princes of His people, “It is you who have devoured the vineyard; The plunder of the poor is in your houses.

15 W hat mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor? saith the Lord God of hosts.

“What do you mean by crushing My people And grinding the face of the poor?” Declares the Lord God of hosts. Judah’s Women Denounced

16 M oreover 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:

Moreover, the Lord said, “Because the daughters of Zion are proud And walk with heads held high and seductive eyes, And go along with mincing steps And tinkle the bangles on their feet,

17 t herefore 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 afflict the scalp of the daughters of Zion with scabs, And the Lord will make their foreheads bare.”

18 I n 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,

In that day the Lord will take away the beauty of their anklets, headbands, crescent ornaments,

19 t he chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers,

dangling earrings, bracelets, veils,

20 t he bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings,

headdresses, ankle chains, sashes, perfume boxes, amulets,

21 t he rings, and nose jewels,

finger rings, nose rings,

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

festal robes, outer tunics, cloaks, money purses,

23 t he glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the vails.

hand mirrors, undergarments, turbans and veils.

24 A nd 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.

Now it will come about that instead of sweet perfume there will be putrefaction; Instead of a belt, a rope; Instead of well-set hair, a plucked-out scalp; Instead of fine clothes, a donning of sackcloth; And branding instead of beauty.

25 T hy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war.

Your men will fall by the sword And your mighty ones in battle.

26 A nd her gates shall lament and mourn; and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground.

And her gates will lament and mourn, And deserted she will sit on the ground.