Daily Bread

⁴ “I will make mere youths their officials;
    children will rule over them.”^(K)

⁵ People will oppress each other—
    man against man, neighbor against neighbor.^(L)
The young will rise up against the old,
    the nobody against the honored.

⁶ A 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!”
⁷ But in that day^(M) he will cry out,
    “I have no remedy.^(N)
I have no food^(O) or clothing in my house;
    do not make me the leader of the people.”^(P)

⁸ Jerusalem staggers,
    Judah is falling;^(Q)
their words^(R) and deeds^(S) are against the Lord,
    defying^(T) his glorious presence.
⁹ The look on their faces testifies^(U) against them;
    they parade their sin like Sodom;^(V)
    they do not hide it.
Woe to them!
    They have brought disaster^(W) upon themselves.

¹⁰ Tell the righteous it will be well^(X) with them,
    for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds.^(Y)
11 Woe to the wicked!^(Z)
    Disaster^(AA) is upon them!
They will be paid back^(AB)
    for what their hands have done.^(AC)

¹² Youths^(AD) oppress my people,
    women rule over them.
My people, your guides lead you astray;^(AE)
    they turn you from the path.

¹³ The Lord takes his place in court;^(AF)
    he rises to judge^(AG) the people.
¹⁴ The Lord enters into judgment^(AH)
    against the elders and leaders of his people:
“It is you who have ruined my vineyard;
    the plunder^(AI) from the poor^(AJ) is in your houses.
¹⁵ What do you mean by crushing my people^(AK)
    and grinding^(AL) the faces of the poor?”^(AM)
declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.^(AN)