1 For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, does take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stock and the store, the whole supply of bread, and the whole supply of water.
2 The mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the prudent, and the elder,
3 The captain of fifty, and the honorable man, and the counselor, and the skilled craftsman, and the eloquent orator.
4 And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them.
5 And the people shall be oppressed, everyone by another, and everyone by his neighbor: the child shall behave himself proudly against the elder, and the base against the honorable.
6 When a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his father, saying, you have clothing, be our ruler, and let this ruin be under your hand:
7 In that day shall he swear, saying, I will not be a healer; for in my house is neither bread nor clothing: make me not a ruler of the people.
8 For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their deeds are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of his glory.
9 The look on their countenance does witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have brought evil unto themselves.
10 Say you to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds.
11 Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be done to him.
12 As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they who lead you cause you to err, and destroy the way of your paths.
13 The LORD stands up to plead, and stands to judge the people.
14 The LORD will enter into judgment with the elders of his people, and its princes:
15 What do you mean that you beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor?
16 Moreover the LORD says,
17 Therefore the Lord will strike with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will uncover their secret parts.
18 In that day the Lord will take away the finery of their jingling ornaments about their ankles, and their scarves, and their crescents,
19 The pendants, and the bracelets, and the veils,
20 The headdresses, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the perfume boxes, and the charms,
21 The rings, and nose rings,
22 The festal robes, and the mantles, and the cloaks, and the handbags,
23 The mirrors, and the fine linen, and the turbans, and the veils.
24 And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet fragrance there shall be a stench; and instead of a sash, a rope; and instead of well-set hair, baldness; and instead of a rich robe, a girding of sackcloth; and a burning scar instead of beauty.
25 Your men shall fall by the sword, and your mighty men in the war.
26 And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground.