| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1For behold, the Lord GOD of hosts is taking away from Jerusalem and from Judah support and supply, all support of bread, and all support of water; | 1Look, the sovereign LORD who commands armies is about to remove from Jerusalem and Judah every source of security, including all the food and water, |
| 2the mighty man and the soldier, the judge and the prophet, the diviner and the elder, | 2the mighty men and warriors, judges and prophets, omen readers and leaders, |
| 3the captain of fifty and the man of rank, the counselor and the skillful magician and the expert in charms. | 3captains of groups of fifty, the respected citizens, advisers and those skilled in magical arts, and those who know incantations. |
| 4And I will make boys their princes, and infants shall rule over them. | 4The LORD says, "I will make youths their officials; malicious young men will rule over them. |
| 5And the people will oppress one another, every one his fellow and every one his neighbor; the youth will be insolent to the elder, and the despised to the honorable. | 5The people will treat each other harshly; men will oppose each other; neighbors will fight. Youths will proudly defy the elderly and riffraff will challenge those who were once respected. |
| 6For a man will take hold of his brother in the house of his father, saying: “You have a cloak; you shall be our leader, and this heap of ruins shall be under your rule”; | 6Indeed, a man will grab his brother right in his father's house and say, 'You own a coat--you be our leader! This heap of ruins will be under your control.' |
| 7in that day he will speak out, 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.” | 7At that time the brother will shout, 'I am no doctor, I have no food or coat in my house; don't make me a leader of the people!'" |
| 8For Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen, because their speech and their deeds are against the LORD, defying his glorious presence. | 8Jerusalem certainly stumbles, Judah falls, for their words and their actions offend the LORD; they rebel against his royal authority. |
| 9For the look on their faces bears witness against them; they proclaim their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! For they have brought evil on themselves. | 9The look on their faces testifies to their guilt; like the people of Sodom they openly boast of their sin. Too bad for them! For they bring disaster on themselves. |
| 10Tell the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds. | 10Tell the innocent it will go well with them, for they will be rewarded for what they have done. |
| 11Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, for what his hands have dealt out shall be done to him. | 11Too bad for the wicked sinners! For they will get exactly what they deserve. |
| 12My people—infants are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, your guides mislead you and they have swallowed up the course of your paths. | 12Oppressors treat my people cruelly; creditors rule over them. My people's leaders mislead them; they give you confusing directions. |
| 13The LORD has taken his place to contend; he stands to judge peoples. | 13The LORD takes his position to judge; he stands up to pass sentence on his people. |
| 14The LORD will enter into judgment with the elders and princes of his people: “It is you who have devoured the vineyard, the spoil of the poor is in your houses. | 14The LORD comes to pronounce judgment on the leaders of his people and their officials. He says, "It is you who have ruined the vineyard! You have stashed in your houses what you have stolen from the poor. |
| 15What do you mean by crushing my people, by grinding the face of the poor?” declares the Lord GOD of hosts. | 15Why do you crush my people and grind the faces of the poor?" The sovereign LORD who commands armies has spoken. |
| 16The LORD said: Because the daughters of Zion are haughty and walk with outstretched necks, glancing wantonly with their eyes, mincing along as they go, tinkling with their feet, | 16The LORD says, "The women of Zion are proud. They walk with their heads high and flirt with their eyes. They skip along and the jewelry on their ankles jingles. |
| 17therefore the Lord will strike with a scab the heads of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will lay bare their secret parts. | 17So the sovereign master will afflict the foreheads of Zion's women with skin diseases, the LORD will make the front of their heads bald." |
| 18In that day the Lord will take away the finery of the anklets, the headbands, and the crescents; | 18At that time the sovereign master will remove their beautiful ankle jewelry, neck ornaments, crescent shaped ornaments, |
| 19the pendants, the bracelets, and the scarves; | 19earrings, bracelets, veils, |
| 20the headdresses, the armlets, the sashes, the perfume boxes, and the amulets; | 20headdresses, ankle ornaments, sashes, sachets, amulets, |
| 21the signet rings and nose rings; | 21rings, nose rings, |
| 22the festal robes, the mantles, the cloaks, and the handbags; | 22festive dresses, robes, shawls, purses, |
| 23the mirrors, the linen garments, the turbans, and the veils. | 23garments, vests, head coverings, and gowns. |
| 24Instead of perfume there will be rottenness; and instead of a belt, a rope; and instead of well-set hair, baldness; and instead of a rich robe, a skirt of sackcloth; and branding instead of beauty. | 24A putrid stench will replace the smell of spices, a rope will replace a belt, baldness will replace braided locks of hair, a sackcloth garment will replace a fine robe, and a prisoner's brand will replace beauty. |
| 25Your men shall fall by the sword and your mighty men in battle. | 25Your men will fall by the sword, your strong men will die in battle. |
| 26And her gates shall lament and mourn; empty, she shall sit on the ground. | 26Her gates will mourn and lament; deprived of her people, she will sit on the ground. |
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