| NET Bible | New Living Translation |
| 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, | 1The Lord, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, will take away from Jerusalem and Judah everything they depend on: every bit of bread and every drop of water, |
| 2the mighty men and warriors, judges and prophets, omen readers and leaders, | 2all their heroes and soldiers, judges and prophets, fortune-tellers and elders, |
| 3captains of groups of fifty, the respected citizens, advisers and those skilled in magical arts, and those who know incantations. | 3army officers and high officials, advisers, skilled sorcerers, and astrologers. |
| 4The LORD says, "I will make youths their officials; malicious young men will rule over them. | 4I will make boys their leaders, and toddlers their rulers. |
| 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. | 5People will oppress each other— man against man, neighbor against neighbor. Young people will insult their elders, and vulgar people will sneer at the honorable. |
| 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.' | 6In those days a man will say to his brother, “Since you have a coat, you be our leader! Take charge of this heap of ruins!” |
| 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!'" | 7But he will reply, “No! I can’t help. I don’t have any extra food or clothes. Don’t put me in charge!” |
| 8Jerusalem certainly stumbles, Judah falls, for their words and their actions offend the LORD; they rebel against his royal authority. | 8For Jerusalem will stumble, and Judah will fall, because they speak out against the LORD and refuse to obey him. They provoke him to his face. |
| 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. | 9The very look on their faces gives them away. They display their sin like the people of Sodom and don’t even try to hide it. They are doomed! They have brought destruction upon themselves. |
| 10Tell the innocent it will go well with them, for they will be rewarded for what they have done. | 10Tell the godly that all will be well for them. They will enjoy the rich reward they have earned! |
| 11Too bad for the wicked sinners! For they will get exactly what they deserve. | 11But the wicked are doomed, for they will get exactly what they deserve. |
| 12Oppressors treat my people cruelly; creditors rule over them. My people's leaders mislead them; they give you confusing directions. | 12Childish leaders oppress my people, and women rule over them. O my people, your leaders mislead you; they send you down the wrong road. |
| 13The LORD takes his position to judge; he stands up to pass sentence on his people. | 13The LORD takes his place in court and presents his case against his people. |
| 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. | 14The LORD comes forward to pronounce judgment on the elders and rulers of his people: “You have ruined Israel, my vineyard. Your houses are filled with things stolen from the poor. |
| 15Why do you crush my people and grind the faces of the poor?" The sovereign LORD who commands armies has spoken. | 15How dare you crush my people, grinding the faces of the poor into the dust?” demands the Lord, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. A Warning to Jerusalem |
| 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. | 16The LORD says, “Beautiful Zion is haughty: craning her elegant neck, flirting with her eyes, walking with dainty steps, tinkling her ankle bracelets. |
| 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." | 17So the Lord will send scabs on her head; the LORD will make beautiful Zion bald.” |
| 18At that time the sovereign master will remove their beautiful ankle jewelry, neck ornaments, crescent shaped ornaments, | 18On that day of judgment the Lord will strip away everything that makes her beautiful: ornaments, headbands, crescent necklaces, |
| 19earrings, bracelets, veils, | 19earrings, bracelets, and veils; |
| 20headdresses, ankle ornaments, sashes, sachets, amulets, | 20scarves, ankle bracelets, sashes, perfumes, and charms; |
| 21rings, nose rings, | 21rings, jewels, |
| 22festive dresses, robes, shawls, purses, | 22party clothes, gowns, capes, and purses; |
| 23garments, vests, head coverings, and gowns. | 23mirrors, fine linen garments, head ornaments, and shawls. |
| 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. | 24Instead of smelling of sweet perfume, she will stink. She will wear a rope for a sash, and her elegant hair will fall out. She will wear rough burlap instead of rich robes. Shame will replace her beauty. |
| 25Your men will fall by the sword, your strong men will die in battle. | 25The men of the city will be killed with the sword, and her warriors will die in battle. |
| 26Her gates will mourn and lament; deprived of her people, she will sit on the ground. | 26The gates of Zion will weep and mourn. The city will be like a ravaged woman, huddled on the ground. |
|
