The downfall of Babylon

47 Come down, and sit in the dust,

O virgin daughter of Babylon;

sit on the ground unthroned,

O daughter of the Chaldeans:

for you will be called no more

the tender and the dainty.

2 Take mill-stones, and grind the meal;

and put your veil aside.

Strip off your skirt, and pass

bare-legged through the rivers.

3 Let your nakedness be uncovered,

and let your shame be seen.

For vengeance I will take,

irrevocable vengeance –

4 thus says our redeemer,

the Lord of Hosts is his name,

the Holy One of Israel.

5 Sit in silence and shrouded in darkness,

O daughter of the Chaldeans;

for you will be called no more

the mistress of dominions.

6 True, I was wroth with my people,

my heritage I profaned;

and I gave them into your hand,

but you showed no pity upon them;

you laid upon the aged

your exceeding heavy yoke.

7 You said, ‘I will live for ever,

and be mistress evermore;’

These things you did lay not heart,

nor did think how it all would end.

8 Hear this now, lady of pleasure,

who sits so securely,

and says in your heart,

‘It is I, there is none beside me;

I will never sit as a widow,

nor know the loss of children.’

9 These two things will come upon you,

full swift in a single day –

the loss of your husband and children

will suddenly come upon you,

despite your many spells,

despite your enchantments many,

10 despite your trust in your wickedness,

and your fancy that no one can see you.

Behold your wisdom and knowledge –

’Tis they who have led you astray;

and you in your heart did say,

‘It is I, there is none beside me.’

11 So disaster will come upon you,

which no knowledge of your can avert;

destruction will fall upon you,

which you have no power to appease;

sudden ruin will come upon you,

which you have no knowledge (to banish).

12 Abide, then, by your enchantments,

abide by your sorceries many,

wherein you have toiled from your youth.

Perchance you may somewhat avail,

perchance you may yet strike terror.

13 You have wearied yourself with your counsellors;

now let them stand up and save you –

those men who divide up the heavens,

directing their gaze to the stars,

and month by month make known

what things are coming upon you.

14 But see! They are all like stubble,

the fire burns them up.

Not even themselves can they save

from the mighty power of the flame: –

it is no glowing coal to warm at,

no fire to sit before.

15 Such then have they proved unto you,

in whose cause you have toiled from your youth;

your flee staggering, each his own way –

not a man of them all to save you.