4 “I will make mere youths their officials;

children will rule over them.”

5 People will oppress each other—

man against man, neighbor against neighbor.

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 he will cry out,

“I have no remedy.

I have no food or clothing in my house;

do not make me the leader of the people.”

4 And I will give children to be their princes,

And babes shall rule over them.

5 And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour:

The child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient,

And the base against the honourable.

6 When a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his father, saying,

Thou hast clothing, be thou our ruler,

And let this ruin be under thy hand:

7 In that day shall he swear, saying,

I will not be an healer;

For in my house is neither bread nor clothing:

Make me not a ruler of the people.

4 I will make boys their leaders,

and toddlers their rulers.

5 People will oppress each other—

man against man,

neighbor against neighbor.

Young people will insult their elders,

and vulgar people will sneer at the honorable.

6 In those days a man will say to his brother,

“Since you have a coat, you be our leader!

Take charge of this heap of ruins!”

7 But he will reply,

“No! I can’t help.

I don’t have any extra food or clothes.

Don’t put me in charge!”

4 “I will give children to be their princes,

And babes shall rule over them.

5 The people will be oppressed,

Every one by another and every one by his neighbor;

The child will be insolent toward the elder,

And the base toward the honorable.”

6 When a man takes hold of his brother

In the house of his father, saying,

“You have clothing;

You be our ruler,

And let these ruins be under your power,”

7 In that day he will protest, saying,

“I cannot cure your ills,

For in my house is neither food nor clothing;

Do not make me a ruler of the people.”

4 The Lord says, “I will cause young boys to be your leaders,

and foolish children will rule over you.

5 People will be against each other; everyone will be against his neighbor.

Young people will not respect older people,

and common people will not respect important people.”

6 At that time a man will grab one of his brothers

from his own family and say,

“You have a coat, so you will be our leader.

These ruins will be under your control.”

7 But that brother will stand up and say,

“I cannot help you,

because I do not have food or clothes in my house.

You will not make me your leader.”

4 And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them. 5 And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbor: the child shall behave himself proudly against the old man, and the base against the honorable. 6 When a man shall take hold of his brother in the house of his father, saying, Thou hast clothing, be thou our ruler, and let this ruin be under thy hand; 7 in that day shall he lift up his voice, saying, I will not be a healer; for in my house is neither bread nor clothing: ye shall not make me ruler of the people.

4 And I will appoint youths as their princes, and children shall rule over them. 5 And the people shall be oppressed one by the other, and each by his neighbour; the child will be insolent against the elder, and the base against the honourable. 6 When a man shall take hold of his brother, in his father’s house, and shall say: Thou hast clothing; be our chief, and let this ruin be under thy hand; 7 he will lift up his hand in that day, saying, I cannot be a healer, and in my house there is neither bread nor clothing; ye shall not make me a chief of the people.

4 “I will make boys their leaders. 

Children will govern them.” 

5 People will oppress each other, 

and everyone will oppress his neighbor. 

The young will make fun of the old, 

and common people will make fun of their superiors. 

6 A person will grab one of his relatives 

from his father’s family and say, 

“You have a coat. 

You’ll be our leader. 

This pile of ruins will be under your control.” 

7 When that day comes the relative will cry out, 

“I’m not a doctor! 

I don’t have any food or a coat in my home. 

Don’t make me a leader of our family.” 

4 “I will make youths their leaders,

and the unstable will govern them.”

5 The people will oppress one another,

man against man, neighbor against neighbor;

the youth will act arrogantly toward the elder,

and the worthless toward the honorable.

6 A man will even seize his brother

in his father’s house, saying:

“You have a cloak—you be our leader!

This heap of rubble will be under your control.”

7 On that day he will cry out, saying:

“I’m not a healer.

I don’t even have food or clothing in my house.

Don’t make me the leader of the people!”

4 And I will make boys their princes,

and babes shall rule over them.

5 The people will be oppressed,

everyone by another

and everyone by a neighbor;

the youth will be insolent to the elder,

and the base to the honorable.

6 Someone will even seize a relative,

a member of the clan, saying,

“You have a cloak;

you shall be our leader,

and this heap of ruins

shall be under your rule.”

7 But the other will cry out on that day, saying,

“I will not be a healer;

in my house there is neither bread nor cloak;

you shall not make me

leader of the people.”

4 And I will make boys their princes,

and children shall rule over them.

5 And the people will be oppressed by each other

and a man by his neighbor.

The boy will act arrogantly toward the elder,

and the dishonorable toward the honorable.

6 Indeed, a man will seize his brother

in the house of his father:

“You have a cloak;

you shall be a leader for us,

and this heap of ruins shall be under your hand!”

7 He will lift up his voice on that day, saying,

“I will not be a healer;

in my house there is no bread

and there is no cloak.

You shall not make me the leader of the people!”

4 The Lord will make young boys rule over all of them.

Mere children will govern them.

5 People will crush one another.

They will fight against each other.

They will fight against their neighbors.

Young people will attack old people.

Ordinary people will attack those who are more important.

6 A man will grab hold of one of his brothers

at his father’s home. He will say,

“You have a coat. So you be our leader.

Take charge of all of these broken-down buildings!”

7 But at that time the brother will cry out,

“I can’t help you.

I don’t have any food or clothing in my house.

Don’t make me the leader of these people.”

4 And I will make mere lads their princes,

And capricious children will rule over them,

5 And the people will be oppressed,

Each one by another, and each one by his neighbor;

The youth will storm against the elder

And the inferior against the honorable.

6 When a man lays hold of his brother in his father’s house, saying,

“You have a cloak, you shall be our ruler,

And these ruins will be under your charge,”

7 He will protest on that day, saying,

“I will not be your healer,

For in my house there is neither bread nor cloak;

You should not appoint me ruler of the people.”