Bible in Basic English
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.
Happy is the upright man! for he will have joy of the fruit of his ways.
Unhappy is the sinner! for the reward of his evil doings will come on him.
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.
— Isaiah 3:9-1964, Bible in Basic English
“The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves. Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him. As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths. The Lord standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people. The Lord will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people, and the princes thereof: for ye have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses. What mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor? saith the Lord God of hosts. Moreover the Lord saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet: Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will discover their secret parts. In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their cauls, and their round tires like the moon, The chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers, The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings, The rings, and nose jewels, The changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping pins, The glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the vails. And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; and burning instead of beauty. Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war. And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground. ”
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:
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.
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.
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.
Happy is the upright man! for he will have joy of the fruit of his ways.
Unhappy is the sinner! for the reward of his evil doings will come on him.
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.