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.

2 T he mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the prudent, and the ancient,

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

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

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:

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.

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.

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.

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

11 W oe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given 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.

13 T he Lord standeth up to plead, and standeth 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.

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.

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:

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.

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,

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

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

21 T he rings, and nose jewels,

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

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

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.

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

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