45. Come out from her midst, my people, and save each one his life from the burning anger of Yahweh.
46. Now so that you are not fainthearted, and you are afraid at the rumors that are heard in the land— and in the year the rumor comes, and in the year after it the rumor, and violence is in the land, with ruler against ruler—
47. therefore look, days are coming, and I will punish the images of Babylon, and all her land will be put to shame, and all her slain ones will fall in the midst of her.
48. Then the heaven and the earth and all that is in them will shout for joy over Babylon, for from the north the destroyers will come to it,” declares Yahweh.
49. Babylon must fall not only because of the slain ones of Israel, but also because of Babylon the slain ones of all the earth have fallen.
50. Survivors of the sword, go! You must not linger! Remember Yahweh from far away, and let Jerusalem come to your mind.
51. We are ashamed, for we have heard taunts, disgrace covers our faces, for strangers have come to the holy places of the house of Yahweh.
52. “Therefore look, days are coming,” declares Yahweh, “and I will punish her images, and the fatally wounded will sigh through all her land.
53. Though Babylon goes up to the heavens, and though she fortifies the high place of her strength, from me destroyers will come to her,” declares Yahweh.
54. The sound of a cry for help from Babylon, and a great collapse from the land of the Chaldeans.
55. For Yahweh is devastating Babylon, and he obliterates her loud noise from her. Their waves roar like mighty waters, the roar of their voices resounds.
56. For a destroyer is coming against her, against Babylon, and her warriors are captured. Their bows are broken; for Yahweh is a God of recompense, certainly he will repay.
57. “And I will make drunk her officials, and her wise men, her governors, and her officials, and her warriors, and they will sleep an everlasting sleep, and they will not wake up,” declares the King, Yahweh of hosts is his name.
58. Thus says Yahweh of hosts: “The broad walls of Babylon will be utterly demolished, and her high gates will burn with fire, and the peoples will labor for nothing, and the nations for fire, and they will grow weary.”
59. The word that Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah, the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, at his going with Zedekiah, the king of Judah, to Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. Now Seraiah was the quartermaster.
60. And Jeremiah wrote all the disasters that would come on Babylon in one scroll, all these words that are written concerning Babylon.
61. And Jeremiah said to Seraiah, “At your coming to Babylon, then you must see that you read aloud all these words.