1. Thus says the Lord:“Behold, I will stir up the spirit of a destroyeragainst Babylon,against the inhabitants of Leb-kamai,
2. and I will send to Babylon winnowers,and they shall winnow her,and they shall empty her land,when they come against her from every side on the day of trouble.
3. Let not the archer bend his bow,and let him not stand up in his armor.Spare not her young men; devote to destruction all her army.
4. They shall fall down slain in the land of the Chaldeans, and wounded in her streets.
5. For Israel and Judah have not been forsakenby their God, the Lord of hosts,but the land of the Chaldeans is full of guiltagainst the Holy One of Israel.
6. “Flee from the midst of Babylon;let every one save his life! Be not cut off in her punishment, for this is the time of the Lord’s vengeance,the repayment he is rendering her.
7. Babylon was a golden cup in the Lord’s hand, making all the earth drunken; the nations drank of her wine;therefore the nations went mad.
8. Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been broken; wail for her! Take balm for her pain;perhaps she may be healed.
9. We would have healed Babylon,but she was not healed. Forsake her, and let us goeach to his own country,for her judgment has reached up to heavenand has been lifted up even to the skies.
10. The Lord has brought about our vindication; come, let us declare in Zionthe work of the Lord our God.
11. “Sharpen the arrows!Take up the shields! The Lord has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because his purpose concerning Babylon is to destroy it, for that is the vengeance of the Lord, the vengeance for his temple.
12. “Set up a standard against the walls of Babylon; make the watch strong;set up watchmen;prepare the ambushes; for the Lord has both planned and donewhat he spoke concerning the inhabitants of Babylon.
13. O you who dwell by many waters,rich in treasures,your end has come;the thread of your life is cut.
14. The Lord of hosts has sworn by himself:Surely I will fill you with men, as many as locusts, and they shall raise the shout of victory over you.
15. “It is he who made the earth by his power,who established the world by his wisdom,and by his understanding stretched out the heavens.