Bible in Basic English
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.
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:
The Lord will send disease on the heads of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will let their secret parts be seen.
In that day the Lord will take away the glory of their foot-rings, and their sun-jewels, and their moon-ornaments,
The ear-rings, and the chains, and the delicate clothing,
The head-bands, and the arm-chains, and the worked bands, and the perfume-boxes, and the jewels with secret powers,
The rings, and the nose-jewels,
The feast-day dresses, and the robes, and the wide skirts, and the handbags,
The looking-glasses, and the fair linen, and the high head-dresses, and the veils.
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.
Your men will be put to the sword, and your men of war will come to destruction in the fight.
And in the public places of her towns will be sorrow and weeping; and she will be seated on the earth, waste and uncovered.
— Isaiah 3:15-1964, Bible in Basic English
“Why do you crush my people and grind the faces of the poor?” The Sovereign LORD of Heaven’s Armies has spoken. Washing Away Impurity The LORD says,“The women of Zion are proud. They walk with their heads high and flirt with their eyes. They skip along and the jewelry on their ankles jingles. So the Lord will afflict the foreheads of Zion’s women with skin diseases; the LORD will make the front of their heads bald.” At that time the Lord will remove their beautiful ankle jewelry, neck ornaments, crescent shaped ornaments, earrings, bracelets, veils, headdresses, ankle ornaments, sashes, sachets, amulets, rings, nose rings, festive dresses, robes, shawls, purses, garments, vests, head coverings, and gowns. A putrid stench will replace the smell of spices, a rope will replace a belt, baldness will replace braided locks of hair, a sackcloth garment will replace a fine robe, and a prisoner’s brand will replace beauty. Your men will fall by the sword, your strong men will die in battle. Her gates will mourn and lament; deprived of her people, she will sit on the ground.”
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.
The Lord is ready to take up his cause against his people, and is about to come forward as their judge.
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.
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.
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:
The Lord will send disease on the heads of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will let their secret parts be seen.
In that day the Lord will take away the glory of their foot-rings, and their sun-jewels, and their moon-ornaments,
The ear-rings, and the chains, and the delicate clothing,
The head-bands, and the arm-chains, and the worked bands, and the perfume-boxes, and the jewels with secret powers,
The rings, and the nose-jewels,
The feast-day dresses, and the robes, and the wide skirts, and the handbags,
The looking-glasses, and the fair linen, and the high head-dresses, and the veils.
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.
Your men will be put to the sword, and your men of war will come to destruction in the fight.
And in the public places of her towns will be sorrow and weeping; and she will be seated on the earth, waste and uncovered.