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1 See, the Lord Yahweh of hosts is about to take away from Jerusalem and from Judah
support and staff: the whole supply of bread and the whole supply of water,
2 the mighty man and the warrior, the judge and the prophet, the one who practices divination and the elder,
3 the captain of fifty and the respected citizen, the counselor, the expert craftsman and the skillful enchanter.
4 “I will place mere youths as their leaders, and the young will rule over them.
5 The people will be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbor;
the child will insult the elderly, and the degraded will challenge the honorable.
6 A man will even take hold of his brother in his father's house
and say, 'You have a coat; be our ruler, and let this ruin be in your hands.'
7 On that day he will shout and say,
'I will not be a healer; I have no bread or clothing.
You will not make me ruler of the people.'”
8 For Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen,
because their speech and their actions are against Yahweh, defying the eyes of his glory.
9 The look on their faces witnesses against them; and they tell of their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it.
Woe to them! For they have completed a catastrophe for themselves.
10 Tell the righteous person that it will be well, for they will eat the fruit of their deeds.
11 Woe to the wicked! It will go badly for him, for the recompense of his hands will be done to him.
12 My people—children are their oppressors, and women rule over them.
My people, those who guide you lead you astray and confuse the direction of your path.
13 Yahweh stands up for an accusation; he is standing to accuse the people.
14 Yahweh will come with judgment against the elders of his people and their leaders:
“You have ruined the vineyard; the plunder from the poor is in your houses.
15 Why do you crush my people and grind the faces of the poor?”
This is the declaration of the Lord Yahweh of hosts.
16 Yahweh says that because the daughters of Zion are proud,
they walk with their necks extended,
with flirting eyes, walking with tiny steps as they go,
making tinkling sounds from bracelets on their ankles.
17 Therefore the Lord will form scabs on the heads of the daughters of Zion,
and Yahweh will make them bald.
18 On that day the Lord will remove their beautiful ankle jewelry, head bands, the crescent ornaments,
19 the ear pendants, the bracelets, and the veils;
20 the headscarves, the ankle chains, the sashes, and the perfume boxes, and the lucky charms.
21 He will remove the rings and the nose jewels;
22 the festive robes, the mantles, the veils, and the handbags;
23 the hand mirrors, the fine linen, the head pieces, and the wraps.
24 Instead of sweet perfume there will be stench; and instead of a sash, a rope;
instead of well-arranged hair, baldness; and instead of a robe, a covering of sackcloth;
and branding instead of beauty.
25 Your men will fall by the sword, and your strong men will fall in war.
26 Jerusalem's gates will lament and mourn; and she will be alone and sit upon the ground.