The Book of the Prophet Isaiah

⭑ Douay-Rheims :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 3 -

For behold the sovereign the Lord of hosts shall take away from Jerusalem, and from Juda the valiant and the strong, the whole strength of bread, and the whole strength of water.

The strong man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the cunning man, and the ancient.

The captain over fifty, and the honourable in countenance, and the counsellor, and the architect, and the skillful in eloquent speech.

And I will give children to be their princes, and the effeminate shall rule over them.

And the people shall rush one upon another, and every man against his neighbour: the child shall make it tumult against the ancient, and the base against the honourable.

For a man shall take hold or his brother, one of the house of his father, saying: Thou hast a garment, be thou our ruler, and let this ruin be under thy hand.

In that day he shall answer, saying: I am no healer, and in my house there is no bread, nor clothing: make me not ruler of the people.

For Jerusalem is ruined, and Juda is fallen: because their tongue, and their devices are against the Lord, to provoke the eyes of his majesty.

The shew of their countenance hath answered them: and they have proclaimed abroad their sin as Sodom, and they have not hid it: woe to their souls, for evils are rendered to them.

Say to the just man that it is well, for he shall eat the fruit of his doings.

Woe to the wicked unto evil: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.

As for my people, their oppressors have stripped them, and women have ruled over them. O my people, they that call thee blessed, the same deceive thee, and destroy the way of thy steps.

The Lord standeth up to judge, and he standeth to judge the people.

The Lord will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people, and its princes: for you have devoured the vineyard, and the spoil of the poor is in your house.

Why do you consume my people, and grind the faces of the poor? saith the Lord the God of hosts.

A Warning to the Daughters of Zion

And the Lord said: Because the daughters of Sion are haughty, and have walked with stretched out necks, and wanton glances of their eyes, and made a noise as they walked with their feet and moved in a set pace:

The Lord will make bald the crown of the head of the daughters of Sion, and the Lord will discover their hair.

In that day the Lord will take away the ornaments of shoes, and little moons,

And chains and necklaces, and bracelets, and bonnets,

And bodkins, and ornaments of the legs, and tablets, and sweet balls, and earrings,

And rings, and jewels hanging on the forehead,

And changes of apparel, and short cloaks, and fine linen, and crisping pins,

And looking-glasses, and lawns, and headbands, and fine veils.

And instead of a sweet smell there shall be stench, and instead of a girdle, a cord, and instead of curled hair, baldness, and instead of a stomacher, haircloth.

Thy fairest men also shall fall by the sword, and thy valiant ones in battle.

And her gates shall lament and mourn, and she shall sit desolate on the ground.

For, behold,(a) the Lord, GOD of Armies, takes away from Jerusalem and from Judah supply and support, the whole supply of bread, and the whole supply of water;

the mighty man, the man of war, the judge, the prophet, the diviner, the elder,

the captain of fifty, the honorable man, the counselor, the skilled craftsman, and the clever enchanter.

I will give boys to be their princes, and children shall rule over them.

The people will be oppressed, everyone by another, and everyone by his neighbor. The child will behave himself proudly against the old man, and the wicked against the honorable.

Indeed a man shall take hold of his brother in the house of his father, saying, “You have clothing, you be our ruler, and let this ruin be under your hand.”

In that day he will cry out, saying, “I will not be a healer; for in my house is neither bread nor clothing. You shall not make me ruler of the people.”

For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen; because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of his glory.

The look of their faces testify against them. They parade their sin like Sodom. They don’t hide it. Woe to their soul! For they have brought disaster upon themselves.

Tell the righteous that it will be well with them, for they will eat the fruit of their deeds.

Woe to the wicked! Disaster is upon them, for the deeds of their hands will be paid back to them.

As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. My people, those who lead you cause you to err, and destroy the way of your paths.

The LORD stands up to contend, and stands to judge the peoples.

The LORD will enter into judgment with the elders of his people and their leaders: “It is you who have eaten up the vineyard. The plunder of the poor is in your houses.

What do you mean that you crush my people, and grind the face of the poor?” says the Lord, the LORD of Armies.

A Warning to the Daughters of Zion

Moreover the LORD said, “Because the daughters of Zion are arrogant, and walk with outstretched necks and flirting eyes, walking daintily as they go, jingling ornaments on their feet;

therefore the Lord brings sores on the crown of the head of the women of Zion, and the LORD will make their scalps bald.”

In that day the Lord will take away the beauty of their anklets, the headbands, the crescent necklaces,

the earrings, the bracelets, the veils,

the headdresses, the ankle chains, the sashes, the perfume containers, the charms,

the signet rings, the nose rings,

the fine robes, the capes, the cloaks, the purses,

the hand mirrors, the fine linen garments, the tiaras, and the shawls.

It shall happen that instead of sweet spices, there shall be rottenness; instead of a belt, a rope; instead of well set hair, baldness; instead of a robe, a wearing of sackcloth; and branding instead of beauty.

Your men shall fall by the sword, and your mighty in the war.

Her gates shall lament and mourn. She shall be desolate and sit on the ground.

Footnotes

(a)3:1 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.