1For behold, the Lord, Yahweh of hosts, is removing from Jerusalem and from Judah support and stay — every support of bread and every support of water —
2warrior and man of war, judge and prophet, diviner and elder,
3the captain of fifty and the dignitary, the counselor and the one skilled in magic arts and the expert enchanter.
4And I will make youths their princes, and capricious children shall rule over them.
5And the people shall oppress one another, each against his neighbor; the youth shall be insolent toward the elder, and the base toward the honored.
6When a man seizes his brother in his father’s house, saying, ‘You have a cloak; be our leader, and let this ruin be under your hand,’
7he will lift up his voice in that day, saying, ‘I will not be a healer; in my house there is neither bread nor cloak. You shall not make me leader of the people.’
8For Jerusalem has stumbled and Judah has fallen, because their tongue and their deeds are against Yahweh, defying the eyes of his glory.
9The look of their faces testifies against them; they proclaim their sin like Sodom — they do not conceal it. Woe to their life! For they have brought disaster upon themselves.
10Say of the righteous that it will go well, for they will eat the fruit of their deeds.
11Woe to the wicked — it will go ill! For what his hands have done will be done to him.
12My people — children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. My people, those who guide you lead you astray and swallow up the way of your paths.
13Yahweh takes his stand to contend; he stands to judge the peoples.
14Yahweh enters into judgment with the elders of his people and its princes: ‘It is you who have devoured the vineyard; the plunder of the poor is in your houses.
15What do you mean by crushing my people and grinding the faces of the poor?’ declares the Lord, Yahweh of hosts.
16And Yahweh said: Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, walking with outstretched necks and ogling eyes, walking with mincing steps and jingling with their feet,
17the Lord will strike with scabs the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and Yahweh will lay bare their foreheads.
18In that day the Lord will take away the finery of the anklets, the headbands, and the crescents,
19the pendants, the bracelets, and the veils,
20the headdresses, the ankle chains, the sashes, the perfume boxes, and the amulets,
21the signet rings and the nose rings,
22the festal robes, the mantles, the cloaks, and the purses,
23the hand mirrors, the linen garments, the turbans, and the shawls.
24And it shall come to pass: instead of perfume there will be rot; instead of a sash, a rope; instead of well-set hair, baldness; instead of a rich robe, a girding of sackcloth; branding instead of beauty.
25Your men shall fall by the sword, and your mighty ones in battle.
26Her gates shall lament and mourn, and stripped bare she shall sit on the ground.
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