New Living Translation

1 The Lord, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies,<br>will take away from Jerusalem and Judah<br>everything they depend on:<br>every bit of bread<br>and every drop of water,<br> 2 all their heroes and soldiers,<br>judges and prophets,<br>fortune-tellers and elders,<br> 3 army officers and high officials,<br>advisers, skilled sorcerers, and astrologers.<br> 4 I will make boys their leaders,<br>and toddlers their rulers.<br> 5 People will oppress each other —<br>man against man,<br>neighbor against neighbor.<br>Young people will insult their elders,<br>and vulgar people will sneer at the honorable.<br> 6 In those days a man will say to his brother,<br>“Since you have a coat, you be our leader!<br>Take charge of this heap of ruins!”<br> 7 But he will reply,<br>“No! I can’t help.<br>I don’t have any extra food or clothes.<br>Don’t put me in charge!”<br> 8 For Jerusalem will stumble,<br>and Judah will fall,<br>because they speak out against the LORD and refuse to obey him.<br>They provoke him to his face.<br> 9 The very look on their faces gives them away.<br>They display their sin like the people of Sodom<br>and don’t even try to hide it.<br>They are doomed!<br>They have brought destruction upon themselves.<br> 10 Tell the godly that all will be well for them.<br>They will enjoy the rich reward they have earned!<br> 11 But the wicked are doomed,<br>for they will get exactly what they deserve.<br> 12 Childish leaders oppress my people,<br>and women rule over them.<br>O my people, your leaders mislead you;<br>they send you down the wrong road.<br> 13 The LORD takes his place in court<br>and presents his case against his people.<br> 14 The LORD comes forward to pronounce judgment<br>on the elders and rulers of his people:<br>“You have ruined Israel, my vineyard.<br>Your houses are filled with things stolen from the poor.<br> 15 How dare you crush my people,<br>grinding the faces of the poor into the dust?”<br>demands the Lord, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.<br> 16 The LORD says, “Beautiful Zion is haughty:<br>craning her elegant neck,<br>flirting with her eyes,<br>walking with dainty steps,<br>tinkling her ankle bracelets.<br> 17 So the Lord will send scabs on her head;<br>the LORD will make beautiful Zion bald.”<br> 18 On that day of judgment<br>the Lord will strip away everything that makes her beautiful:<br>ornaments, headbands, crescent necklaces,<br> 19 earrings, bracelets, and veils;<br> 20 scarves, ankle bracelets, sashes,<br>perfumes, and charms;<br> 21 rings, jewels,<br> 22 party clothes, gowns, capes, and purses;<br> 23 mirrors, fine linen garments,<br>head ornaments, and shawls.<br> 24 Instead of smelling of sweet perfume, she will stink.<br>She will wear a rope for a sash,<br>and her elegant hair will fall out.<br>She will wear rough burlap instead of rich robes.<br>Shame will replace her beauty.<br> 25 The men of the city will be killed with the sword,<br>and her warriors will die in battle.<br> 26 The gates of Zion will weep and mourn.<br>The city will be like a ravaged woman,<br>huddled on the ground.<br>