The Fall of Babylon
1
2
Take millstones and grind meal;(C)
remove your veil,
strip off your skirt, bare your thigh,
wade through the streams.
3
4 remove your veil,
strip off your skirt, bare your thigh,
wade through the streams.
5
“Daughter Chaldea,
sit in silence(F) and go into darkness.
For you will no longer be called mistress of kingdoms.
6 sit in silence(F) and go into darkness.
For you will no longer be called mistress of kingdoms.
I was angry with My people;
I profaned My possession,
and I placed them under your control.
You showed them no mercy;
you made your yoke very heavy on the elderly.
7 I profaned My possession,
and I placed them under your control.
You showed them no mercy;
you made your yoke very heavy on the elderly.
You said, ‘I will be the mistress forever.’
You did not take these things to heart
or think about their outcome.
You did not take these things to heart
or think about their outcome.
8
9
These two things will happen to you
suddenly, in one day:
loss of children and widowhood.
They will happen to you in their entirety,
in spite of your many sorceries(I)
and the potency of your spells.
10 suddenly, in one day:
loss of children and widowhood.
They will happen to you in their entirety,
in spite of your many sorceries(I)
and the potency of your spells.
You were secure in your wickedness;
you said, ‘No one sees me.’(J)
Your wisdom and knowledge
led you astray.
You said to yourself,
‘I exist, and there is no one else.’
11
12 you said, ‘No one sees me.’(J)
Your wisdom and knowledge
led you astray.
You said to yourself,
‘I exist, and there is no one else.’
So take your stand with your spells
and your many sorceries,
which you have wearied yourself with from your youth.
Perhaps you will be able to succeed;
perhaps you will inspire terror!
13
14
15 and your many sorceries,
which you have wearied yourself with from your youth.
Perhaps you will be able to succeed;
perhaps you will inspire terror!
This is what they are to you—
those who have wearied you
and have traded with you from your youth—
each wanders on his own way;
no one can save you.
those who have wearied you
and have traded with you from your youth—
each wanders on his own way;
no one can save you.
Footnotes:
a.
Isaiah 47:3: Hb obscure
b.
Isaiah 47:11: Or to atone for it
c.
Isaiah 47:13: Lit dividers of the heavens
d.
Isaiah 47:14: Lit hand