Judgment against Judah and Jerusalem

1FOR behold the sovereign the Lord of hosts shall take away from Jerusalem, and from Juda the valiant and the strong, the whole strength of bread, and the whole strength of water.

2The strong man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the cunning man, and the ancient.

3The captain over fifty, and the honourable in countenance, and the counsellor, and the architect, and the skilful in eloquent speech.

4And I will give children to be their princes, and the effeminate shall rule over them.

5And the people shall rush one upon another, and every man against his neighbour: the child shall make it tumult against the ancient, and the base against the honourable.

6For a man shall take hold or his brother, one of the house of his father, saying: Thou hast a garment, be thou our ruler, and let this ruin be under thy hand.

7In that day he shall answer, saying: I am no healer, and in my house there is no bread, nor clothing: make me not ruler of the people.

8For Jerusalem is ruined, and Juda is fallen: because their tongue, and their devices are against the Lord, to provoke the eyes of his majesty.

9The shew of their countenance hath answered them: and they have proclaimed abroad their sin as Sodom, and they have not hid it: woe to their souls, for evils are rendered to them.

10Say to the just man that it is well, for he shall eat the fruit of his doings.

11Woe to the wicked unto evil: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.

12As for my people, their oppressors have stripped them, and women have ruled over them. O my people, they that call thee blessed, the same deceive thee, and destroy the way of thy steps.

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

14The Lord will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people, and its princes: for you have devoured the vineyard, and the spoil of the poor is in your house.

15Why do you consume my people, and grind the faces of the poor? saith the Lord the God of hosts.

16And the Lord said: Because the daughters of Sion are haughty, and have walked with stretched out necks, and wanton glances of their eyes, and made a noise as they walked with their feet and moved in a set pace:

17The Lord will make bald the crown of the head of the daughters of Sion, and the Lord will discover their hair.

18In that day the Lord will take away the ornaments of shoes, end little moons, 19And chains and necklaces, and bracelets, and bonnets, 20And bodkins, and ornaments of the legs, and tablets, and sweet balls, and earrings, 21And rings, and jewels hanging on the forehead, 22And changes of apparel, and short cloaks, and fine linen, and crisping pins, 23And looking-glasses, and lawns, and headbands, and fine veils.

24And instead of a sweet smell there shall be stench, and instead of a girdle, a cord, and instead of curled hair, baldness, and instead of a stomacher, haircloth.

25Thy fairest men also shall fall by the sword, and thy valiant ones in battle.

26And her gates shall lament and mourn, and she shall sit desolate on the ground.