^1. FOR behold, the Lord [4] GOD of hosts is going to remove from Jerusalem and Judah Both [3] supply and support, the whole [2] supply of bread And the whole [1] supply of water;

^2. The mighty man and the warrior, The judge and the prophet, The diviner and the elder,

^3. The captain of fifty and the honorable man, The counselor and the expert artisan, And the skillful enchanter.

^4. And I will make mere lads their princes, And [5] capricious children will rule over them,

^5. 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. 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 [6] charge,»

^7. He will [8] protest on that day, saying, «I will not be your [7] healer, For in my house there is neither bread nor cloak; You should not appoint me ruler of the people.»

^8. For Jerusalem has stumbled and Judah has fallen, Because their [10] speech and their actions are against the LORD, To rebel against [9] His glorious presence.

^9. [12] The expression of their faces bears witness against them, And they display their sin like Sodom; They do not even conceal it. Woe to [11] them! For they have brought evil on themselves.

^10. Say to the righteous that it will go well with them, For they will eat the fruit of their actions.

^11. Woe to the wicked! It will go badly with him, For [13] what he deserves will be done to him.

^12. O My people! Their oppressors [14] are children, And women rule over them. O My people! Those who guide you lead you astray And confuse the direction of your paths.

^13. The LORD arises to contend, And stands to judge the people.

^14. 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. «What do you mean by crushing My people And grinding the face of the poor?» Declares the Lord [15] GOD of hosts.

^16. Moreover, the LORD said, «Because the daughters of Zion are proud And walk with [16] heads held high and seductive eyes, And go along with mincing steps And tinkle the bangles on their feet,

^17. Therefore the Lord will afflict the scalp of the daughters of Zion with scabs, And the LORD will make their foreheads bare.»

^18. In that day the Lord will take away the beauty of their anklets, headbands, crescent ornaments,

^19. dangling earrings, bracelets, veils,

^20. headdresses, ankle chains, sashes, perfume boxes, amulets,

^21. [17] finger rings, nose rings,

^22. festal robes, outer tunics, cloaks, money purses,

^23. hand mirrors, undergarments, turbans and veils.

^24. Now it will come about that instead of [18] 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. Your men will fall by the sword And your [19] mighty ones in battle.

^26. And her [20] gates will lament and mourn, And deserted she will sit on the ground.