Because there,
the Lord Yahweh of Armies
Is removing from Yerushalaim and from Yehudah
supply and support:
All supply of bread and all supply of water,
Strong man and man of battle,
leader and prophet, diviner and elder,
Officer over 50, person held in high regard, counsellor,
person smart with charms and understanding chants.
I will make youths their officials;
infants will rule over them.

The people will oppress one another,
each his neighbour.
The youth will be arrogant towards the elder,
one who is slighted towards someone honourable.

Because a man will seize one of his brothers,
his father’s household:
‘You have a coat, you will be a leader for us,
this ruin will be under your hand.’
On that day he will shout,
‘I won’t be one to bind up.
In my house there’s no bread and no coat –
you won’t make me leader of the people.’

Because Yerushalaim has collapsed,
Yehudah has fallen.
Because their tongue and their practices have been towards Yahweh
to be rebellious against his glorious eyes.
The look on their face testifies against them;
they declare their wrongdoing like Sedom and don’t hide it.

Aagh, for their lives,
because they have dealt themselves bad fortune.
Say of the faithful person, ‘It will be good’,
because they will eat the fruit of their practices.
Aagh, for the faithless person, ‘It will be bad’,
because the dealing of his hands will be done to him.

My people ! – infants are their bosses,
women rule over them.
My people! – your guides make you wander;
they’ve swallowed up the course of your paths.
Yahweh is taking his stand to argue,
he’s rising to give judgement for peoples.
Yahweh will come in the exercise of authority
with his people’s elders and its officials.
‘You – you’ve burned up the vineyard,
the humble person’s plunder is in your houses.
What do you mean that you crush my people,
grind the faces of humble ones?
(a declaration of the Lord Yahweh of Armies).’

Yahweh has said:
Since Tsiyyon’s daughters are lofty,
and walk outstretched with their neck,
Flirting with their eyes,
walking and mincing as they walk,
and they jingle with their feet,
The Lord will bare the crown of Tsiyyon’s daughters,
Yahweh will expose their forehead.
On that day the Lord will remove the splendour of the anklets, the bands and the necklaces, the earrings, the bracelets and the veils, the hats, the armlets, the scarves, the amulets and the charms, the rings and the nose rings, the dresses, the capes, the shawls, the purses, the gowns, the vests, the tiaras, the veils and the sashes.

Instead of perfume there will be a stench;
instead of a wrap, a rope;
Instead of a hairdo, a shorn head;
instead of a robe, a wrapping of sack;
branding instead of beauty.

Your men [Tsiyyon] will fall by the sword,
your strength by battle.
Her gateways will lament and mourn;
she’ll be empty, she’ll sit on the ground.
Seven women will take strong hold of one man on that day,
Saying, ‘We’ll eat our bread,
we’ll wear our clothes,
Only may your name be called out over us
– gather up our reviling.’

Goldingay, John; The Bible for Everyone . SPCK. Kindle Edition.

O Love, O God who created me, in your love recreate me.
O Love, who redeemed me,
fill up in me whatever part of your love
has fallen into neglect within me.
O Love, O God, who first loved me,
grant that with my whole heart,
and with my whole soul,
and with my whole strength,
I may love you.

Gertrude the Great