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,[1] 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.
1For behold, the Lord God of hosts is taking away from Jerusalem and from Judah support and supply,[1] all support of bread, and all support of water; (3.Mos 26,26; Es 1,24; Ez 4,16)2the mighty man and the soldier, the judge and the prophet, the diviner and the elder, (2.Kong 24,14; Ez 17,13)3the captain of fifty and the man of rank, the counselor and the skillful magician and the expert in charms.4And I will make boys their princes, and infants[2] shall rule over them. (Præd 10,16; Es 3,12)5And the people will oppress one another, every one his fellow and every one his neighbor; the youth will be insolent to the elder, and the despised to the honorable. (Mika 7,3)6For a man will take hold of his brother in the house of his father, saying: “You have a cloak; you shall be our leader, and this heap of ruins shall be under your rule”; (Es 4,1)7in that day he will speak out, saying: “I will not be a healer;[3] in my house there is neither bread nor cloak; you shall not make me leader of the people.” (Es 1,6)8For Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen, because their speech and their deeds are against the Lord, defying his glorious presence.[4] (Salm 73,9; Es 65,3)9For 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. (1.Mos 13,13; 1.Mos 18,20; Ez 16,46; Ez 16,48; Rom 6,23)10Tell the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds. (5.Mos 28,1; Salm 128,2; Præd 8,12)11Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, for what his hands have dealt out shall be done to him. (5.Mos 28,15; Præd 8,13)12My people—infants are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, your guides mislead you and they have swallowed up[5] the course of your paths. (Es 3,4; Es 28,14)13The Lord has taken his place to contend; he stands to judge peoples. (Salm 7,6; Hos 4,1)14The Lord will enter into judgment with the elders and princes of his people: “It is you who have devoured[6] the vineyard, the spoil of the poor is in your houses. (Salm 14,4; Amos 3,10; Mika 3,1)15What do you mean by crushing my people, by grinding the face of the poor?” declares the Lord God of hosts. (Salm 94,5)16The 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, (Høj 3,11; Es 3,18; Es 4,4; Es 32,9)17therefore the Lord will strike with a scab the heads of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will lay bare their secret parts. (5.Mos 28,60; Es 3,16)18In that day the Lord will take away the finery of the anklets, the headbands, and the crescents; (Dom 8,21; Dom 8,26; Es 3,16; 1.Pet 3,3)19the pendants, the bracelets, and the scarves;20the headdresses, the armlets, the sashes, the perfume boxes, and the amulets; (2.Mos 39,28; Ez 24,17)21the signet rings and nose rings; (1.Mos 24,47; Ez 16,12)22the festal robes, the mantles, the cloaks, and the handbags; (Luk 15,22)23the mirrors, the linen garments, the turbans, and the veils.24Instead of perfume there will be rottenness; and instead of a belt, a rope; and instead of well-set hair, baldness; and instead of a rich robe, a skirt of sackcloth; and branding instead of beauty. (1.Mos 37,34; 3.Mos 19,28; Ester 2,12; Ord 31,24; Es 15,2; Es 15,3; Es 22,12; Klag 2,10; Ez 27,31; Amos 8,10; Mika 1,16; 1.Pet 3,3)25Your men shall fall by the sword and your mighty men in battle.26And her gates shall lament and mourn; empty, she shall sit on the ground. (Job 2,13; Jer 14,2; Klag 1,4; Klag 2,10)