42. The sea has risen over Babylon;its roaring waves cover her.
43. Babylon’s towns are ruined and empty.It has become a dry, desert land,a land where no one lives.People do not even travel through Babylon.
44. I will punish the god Bel in Babylon.I will make him spit out what he has swallowed.Nations will no longer come to Babylon;even the wall around the city will fall.
45. “Come out of Babylon, my people!Run for your lives!Run from the Lord’s great anger.
46. Don’t lose courage;rumors will spread through the land, but don’t be afraid.One rumor comes this year, and another comes the next year.There will be rumors of terrible fighting in the country,of rulers fighting against rulers.
47. The time will surely comewhen I will punish the idols of Babylon,and the whole land will be disgraced.There will be many dead people lying all around.
48. Then heaven and earth and all that is in themwill shout for joy about Babylon.They will shout because the army comes from the northto destroy Babylon,” says the Lord.
49. “Babylon must fall, because she killed people from Israel.She killed people from everywhere on earth.
50. You who have escaped being killed with swords,leave Babylon! Don’t wait!Remember the Lord in the faraway landand think about Jerusalem.”
51. “We people of Judah are disgraced,because we have been insulted.We have been shamed,because strangers have gone intothe holy places of the Lord’s Temple!”
52. So the Lord says, “The time is coming soonwhen I will punish the idols of Babylon.Wounded people will cry with painall over that land.
53. Even if Babylon grows until she touches the sky,and even if she makes her highest cities strong,I will send people to destroy her,” says the Lord.
54. “Sounds of people crying are heard in Babylon.Sounds of people destroying thingsare heard in the land of the Babylonians.
55. The Lord is destroying Babylonand making the loud sounds of the city become silent.Enemies come roaring in like ocean waves.The roar of their voices is heard all around.
56. The army has come to destroy Babylon.Her soldiers have been captured,and their bows are broken,because the Lord is a God who punishes people for the evil they do.He gives them the full punishment they deserve.
57. I will make Babylon’s rulers and wise men drunk,and her governors, officers, and soldiers, too.Then they will sleep forever and never wake up,” says the King,whose name is the Lord All-Powerful.