Chapter 3

  For the Lord, the Lord of armies, is about to take away from Jerusalem and from Judah all their support; their store of bread and of water;  

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  The strong man and the man of war; the judge and the prophet; the man who has knowledge of secret arts, and the man who is wise because of his years;  

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  The captain of fifty, and the man of high position, and the wise guide, and the wonder-worker, and he who makes use of secret powers.  

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  And I will make children their chiefs, and foolish ones will have rule over them.  

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  And the people will be crushed, every one by his neighbour; the young will be full of pride against the old, and those of low position will be lifted up against the noble.  

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  When one man puts his hand on another in his father's house, and says, You have clothing, be our ruler and be responsible for us in our sad condition:  

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  Then he will say with an oath, I will not be a helper, for in my house there is no bread or clothing: I will not let you make me a ruler of the people.  

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  For Jerusalem has become feeble, and destruction has come on Judah, because their words and their acts are against the Lord, moving the eyes of his glory to wrath.  

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  Their respect for a man's position is a witness against them; and their sin is open to the view of all; like that of Sodom, it is not covered. A curse on their soul! for the measure of their sin is full.  

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  Happy is the upright man! for he will have joy of the fruit of his ways.  

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  Unhappy is the sinner! for the reward of his evil doings will come on him.  

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  As for my people, their ruler is acting like a child, and those who have authority over them are women. O my people, your guides are the cause of your wandering, turning your footsteps out of the right way.  

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  The Lord is ready to take up his cause against his people, and is about to come forward as their judge.  

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  The Lord comes to be the judge of their responsible men and of their rulers: it is you who have made waste the vine-garden, and in your houses is the property of the poor which you have taken by force.  

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  By what right are you crushing my people, and putting a bitter yoke on the necks of the poor? This is the word of the Lord, the Lord of armies.  

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  Again, the Lord has said, Because the daughters of Zion are full of pride, and go with outstretched necks and wandering eyes, with their foot-chains sounding when they go:  

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  The Lord will send disease on the heads of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will let their secret parts be seen.  

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  In that day the Lord will take away the glory of their foot-rings, and their sun-jewels, and their moon-ornaments,  

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  The ear-rings, and the chains, and the delicate clothing,  

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  The head-bands, and the arm-chains, and the worked bands, and the perfume-boxes, and the jewels with secret powers,  

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  The rings, and the nose-jewels,  

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  The feast-day dresses, and the robes, and the wide skirts, and the handbags,  

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  The looking-glasses, and the fair linen, and the high head-dresses, and the veils.  

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  And in the place of sweet spices will be an evil smell, and for a fair band a thick cord; for a well-dressed head there will be the cutting-off of the hair, and for a beautiful robe there will be the clothing of sorrow; the mark of the prisoner in place of the ornaments of the free.  

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  Your men will be put to the sword, and your men of war will come to destruction in the fight.  

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  And in the public places of her towns will be sorrow and weeping; and she will be seated on the earth, waste and uncovered.  

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