The Book of the Prophet Isaiah

⭑ Catholic Public Domain Version 2009 ⭑

- Chapter 3 -

For behold, the sovereign Lord of hosts will take away, from Jerusalem and from Judah, the powerful and the strong: all the strength from bread, and all the strength from water;(a)

the strong man, and the man of war, the judge and the prophet, and the seer and the elder;

the leader over fifty and the honorable in appearance; and the counselor, and the wise among builders, and the skillful in mystical speech.

And I will provide children as their leaders, and the effeminate will rule over them.

And the people will rush, man against man, and each one against his neighbor. The child shall rebel against the elder, and the ignoble against the noble.

For a man will apprehend his brother, from the household of his own father, saying: “The vestment is yours. Be our leader, but let this ruin be under your hand.”

In that day, he will respond by saying: “I am not a healer, and there is no bread or vestment in my house. Do not choose to appoint me as a leader of the people.”

For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah has fallen, because their words and their plans are against the Lord, in order to provoke the eyes of his majesty.

The acknowledgement of their countenance is their response. For they have proclaimed their own sin, like Sodom; and they have not concealed it. Woe to their souls! For evils are being repaid to them.

Tell the just man that it is well, for he shall eat from the fruit from his own plans.

Woe to the impious man immersed in evil! For retribution will be given to him from his own hands.

As for my people, their oppressors have despoiled them, and women have ruled over them. My people, who call you blessed, the same are deceiving you and disrupting the path of your steps.

The Lord stands for judgment, and he stands to judge the people.

The Lord will enter into judgment with the elders of his people, and with their leaders. For you have been devouring the vineyard, and the plunder from the poor is in your house.

Why do you wear down my people, and grind up the faces of the poor, says the Lord, the God of hosts?

A Warning to the Daughters of Zion

And the Lord said: Because the daughters of Zion have been lifted up, and have walked with extended necks and winking eyes, because they have continued on, walking noisily and advancing with a pretentious stride,

the Lord will make the heads of the daughters of Zion bald, and the Lord will strip them of the locks of their hair.

In that day, the Lord will take away their decorative shoes,

and the little moons and chains, and the necklaces and bracelets, and the hats,

and the ornaments for their hair, and the anklets, and the touches of myrrh and little bottles of perfumes, and the earrings,(b)

and the rings, and the jewels hanging on their foreheads,

and the continual changes in appearance, and the short skirts, and the fine linens and embroidered cloths,(c)

and the mirrors, and scarves, and ribbons, and their sparse clothing.(d)

And in place of a sweet fragrance, there will be stench. And in place of a belt, there will be a rope. And in place of stylish hair, there will be baldness. And in place of a blouse, there will be haircloth.

Likewise, your most handsome men will fall by the sword, and your strong men will fall in battle.

And her gates will grieve and mourn. And she will sit on the ground, desolate.

Footnotes

(a)3:1 The word ‘robor’ refers not only to strength, but to a source of strength, such as bread and water.(Conte)

(b)3:20 The Latin word ‘murenulas’ does not make sense in this context unless it is actually the word ‘murrenulas,’ pertaining to small amounts of myrrh. Since the next term is ‘olfactoriola,’ which refers to small amounts of perfume or fragrant resins, this is probably the correct reading.(Conte)

(c)3:22 The word ‘mutatoria’ refers to things that change, which in the modern context would include frequent changes of style, of clothing, and of jewelry, and perhaps even plastic surgery, all of which changes one’s appearance for the sake of vanity. The word palliola could be translated as little hood, or little cape, but in the context of modern clothing, short skirt is probably more applicable. The word ‘acus’ refers to a long needle used to make embroidered cloth; a similar pin was also used in women’s hair. But since the previous word refers to a type of cloth, the translation ‘embroidery’ is better than ‘needle’ or ‘hair pin.’(Conte)

(d)3:23 The word ‘theristra’ refers to thin cloth worn in summer time, hence the translation ‘sparse clothing.’(Conte)