Dom over folkets ledere
1Herren, den Almægtige, vil afskære Jerusalem og Juda fra al hjælp og alle forsyninger af mad og vand. 2Han vil fjerne landets ledere—helte og krigere, dommere og profeter, spåmænd og slægtsoverhoveder, 3delingsførere og magtfulde mænd, rådgivere, troldmænd og slangetæmmere.
4De får drenge som ledere, kåde knægte skal herske over dem. 5Der bliver anarki og kaos. Folk bekæmper hinanden, de unge gør oprør mod de ældre, slyngler overfuser hæderlige folk. 6Når den tid kommer, vil en mand gribe fat i sin slægtning og sige: „Du har i det mindste tøj på kroppen. Tag ledelsen, så vi kan få ryddet op i det her rod!” 7Men hans slægtning vil svare: „Nej tak! Jeg vil ikke overtage et fallitbo. Jeg har slet ikke ressourcer til at klare den opgave.” 8Jerusalem falder og Judariget går i opløsning, fordi de har trodset Herren med deres ord og handlinger og ringeagtet hans ære og værdighed. 9Deres ansigtsudtryk er nok til at afsløre dem. De er stolte over deres synder som Sodomas mænd, de har ikke skygge af skam i livet. De har nedkaldt dommen over sig selv.
10Lad de retskafne glæde sig, for dem skal det gå godt. De skal nyde frugten af deres gode gerninger. 11Men ve de onde, for med dem står det skidt til. De skal få, hvad de har fortjent.
12Folkets ledere er som selviske børn og dominerende kvinder. De vejleder jer ikke, de vildleder jer! De fører jer på afveje, så I ender i afgrunden.
13Herren rejser sig, parat til at dømme folkene. 14Herren, den Almægtige, anklager folkets ledere og siger: „Det er jer, der har plyndret vinmarkerne og røvet kornhøsten fra de magtesløse bønder. 15Hvor vover I at knuse mit folk og træde de fattige ned i støvet?”
Dom over de stolte kvinder
16Herren siger: „Jerusalems kvinder tripper stolte af sted med ringlende ankelkæder og næsen i sky, med knejsende nakke og kælne blikke. 17Derfor vil jeg gøre dem skaldede, så de må gå skamfulde omkring.”
18-19Herren vil fjerne al deres pynt: ankelkæder, månetegn og soltegn, øreringe, armbånd, slør, 20tørklæder, ankellænker,3,20 Meningen uklar. Måske er det en kort lænke, som tvang dem til at tage små skridt. bælter, lugtedåser, amuletter, 21fingerringe, næseringe, 22festdragter, kapper, slag, tasker, 23spejle, kjortler, turbaner og sjaler. 24I stedet for duft af parfume bliver der stank, i stedet for et bælte om livet får de reb, i stedet for kunstfærdige frisurer skaldethed, i stedet for festtøj sækkelærred, i stedet for skønhed skam.
Dommen over landets og byens krigere
25Landets mænd vil falde for sværdet, Jerusalems krigere dø i kamp. 26På byens torve vil man jamre og klage, for byen er som en kvinde, der sidder på jorden, berøvet alt.
Judgment on Jerusalem and Judah
1See now, the Lord,
the Lord Almighty,
is about to take from Jerusalem and Judah
both supply and support:
all supplies of food and all supplies of water,
2the hero and the warrior,
the judge and the prophet,
the diviner and the elder,
3the captain of fifty and the man of rank,
the counselor, skilled craftsman and clever enchanter.
4“I will make mere youths their officials;
children will rule over them.”
5People will oppress each other—
man against man, neighbor against neighbor.
The young will rise up against the old,
the nobody against the honored.
6A man will seize one of his brothers
in his father’s house, and say,
“You have a cloak, you be our leader;
take charge of this heap of ruins!”
7But in that day he will cry out,
“I have no remedy.
I have no food or clothing in my house;
do not make me the leader of the people.”
8Jerusalem staggers,
Judah is falling;
their words and deeds are against the Lord,
defying his glorious presence.
9The look on their faces testifies against them;
they parade their sin like Sodom;
they do not hide it.
Woe to them!
They have brought disaster upon themselves.
10Tell the righteous it will be well with them,
for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds.
11Woe to the wicked!
Disaster is upon them!
They will be paid back
for what their hands have done.
12Youths oppress my people,
women rule over them.
My people, your guides lead you astray;
they turn you from the path.
13The Lord takes his place in court;
he rises to judge the people.
14The Lord enters into judgment
against the elders and leaders of his people:
“It is you who have ruined my vineyard;
the plunder from the poor is in your houses.
15What do you mean by crushing my people
and grinding the faces of the poor?”
declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.
16The Lord says,
“The women of Zion are haughty,
walking along with outstretched necks,
flirting with their eyes,
strutting along with swaying hips,
with ornaments jingling on their ankles.
17Therefore the Lord will bring sores on the heads of the women of Zion;
the Lord will make their scalps bald.”
18In that day the Lord will snatch away their finery: the bangles and headbands and crescent necklaces, 19the earrings and bracelets and veils, 20the headdresses and anklets and sashes, the perfume bottles and charms, 21the signet rings and nose rings, 22the fine robes and the capes and cloaks, the purses 23and mirrors, and the linen garments and tiaras and shawls.
24Instead of fragrance there will be a stench;
instead of a sash, a rope;
instead of well-dressed hair, baldness;
instead of fine clothing, sackcloth;
instead of beauty, branding.
25Your men will fall by the sword,
your warriors in battle.
26The gates of Zion will lament and mourn;
destitute, she will sit on the ground.
