New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 For now the Sovereign, the Lord of hosts, is taking away from Jerusalem and from Judah support and staff— all support of bread, and all support of water—
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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;
2 warrior and soldier, judge and prophet, diviner and elder,
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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;
3 captain of fifty and dignitary, counselor and skillful magician and expert enchanter.
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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.
4 And I will make boys their princes, and babes shall rule over them.
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And I will make children their chiefs, and foolish ones will have rule over them.
5 The people will be oppressed, everyone by another and everyone by a neighbor; the youth will be insolent to the elder, and the base to the honorable.
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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.
6 Someone will even seize a relative, a member of the clan, saying, "You have a cloak; you shall be our leader, and this heap of ruins shall be under your rule."
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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:
7 But the other will cry out on that day, saying, "I will not be a healer; in my house there is neither bread nor cloak; you shall not make me leader of the people."
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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.
8 For Jerusalem has stumbled and Judah has fallen, because their speech and their deeds are against the Lord, defying his glorious presence.
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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.
9 The look on their faces bears witness against them; they proclaim their sin like Sodom, they do not hide it. Woe to them! For they have brought evil on themselves.
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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.
10 Tell the innocent how fortunate they are, for they shall eat the fruit of their labors.
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Happy is the upright man! for he will have joy of the fruit of his ways.
11 Woe to the guilty! How unfortunate they are, for what their hands have done shall be done to them.
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Unhappy is the sinner! for the reward of his evil doings will come on him.
12 My people—children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, your leaders mislead you, and confuse the course of your paths.
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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.
13 The Lord rises to argue his case; he stands to judge the peoples.
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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.
14 The Lord enters into judgment with the elders and princes of his people: It is you who have devoured the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses.
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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.
15 What do you mean by crushing my people, by grinding the face of the poor? says the Lord God of hosts.
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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.
16 The Lord said: Because the daughters of Zion are haughty and walk with outstretched necks, glancing wantonly with their eyes, mincing along as they go, tinkling with their feet;
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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:
17 the Lord will afflict with scabs the heads of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will lay bare their secret parts.
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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.
18 In that day the Lord will take away the finery of the anklets, the headbands, and the crescents;
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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,
19 the pendants, the bracelets, and the scarfs;
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The ear-rings, and the chains, and the delicate clothing,
20 the headdresses, the armlets, the sashes, the perfume boxes, and the amulets;
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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,
21 the signet rings and nose rings;
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The rings, and the nose-jewels,
22 the festal robes, the mantles, the cloaks, and the handbags;
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The feast-day dresses, and the robes, and the wide skirts, and the handbags,
23 the garments of gauze, the linen garments, the turbans, and the veils.
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The looking-glasses, and the fair linen, and the high head-dresses, and the veils.
24 Instead of perfume there will be a stench; and instead of a sash, a rope; and instead of well-set hair, baldness; and instead of a rich robe, a binding of sackcloth; instead of beauty, shame.
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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.
25 Your men shall fall by the sword and your warriors in battle.
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Your men will be put to the sword, and your men of war will come to destruction in the fight.
26 And her gates shall lament and mourn; ravaged, she shall sit upon the ground.
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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.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.