1. For the Lord will have compassion on Jacob and will choose Israel again. He will settle them on their own land. The foreigner will join them and be united with the house of Jacob.
2. The nations will escort Israel and bring it to its homeland. Then the house of Israel will possess them as male and female slaves in the Lord’s land. They will make captives of their captors and will rule over their oppressors.
3. When the Lord gives you rest from your pain, torment, and the hard labor you were forced to do,
4. you will sing this song of contempt about the king of Babylon and say:How the oppressor has quieted down,and how the raging has become quiet!
5. The Lord has broken the staff of the wicked,the scepter of the rulers.
6. It struck the peoples in angerwith unceasing blows.It subdued the nations in ragewith relentless persecution.
7. All the earth is calm and at rest;people shout with a ringing cry.
8. Even the cypresses and the cedars of Lebanonrejoice over you: “Since you have been laid low,no woodcutter has come against us.”
9. Sheol below is eager to greet your coming.He stirs up the spirits of the departed for you —all the rulers of the earth.He makes all the kings of the nationsrise from their thrones.
10. They all respond to you, saying:“You too have become as weak as we are;you have become like us!
11. Your splendor has been brought down to Sheol,along with the music of your harps.Maggots are spread out under you,and worms cover you.”