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Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)
OET (OET-RV) Then they’ll throw dust on their heads (a Hebrew sign of mourning) and weep and mourn and cry out, “That incredible city where every ship owner became wealthy from valuable trade with her—she’s been destroyed in a single hour.”[ref]
OET-LV And they_throw dust on the heads of_them, and they_cried_out, weeping and mourning saying:
Woe, woe, the city the great, in which became_rich all the ones having the ships in the sea by the wealth of_her.
Because in_one hour she_was_desolated.
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SR-GNT Καὶ ἔβαλον χοῦν ἐπὶ τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτῶν, καὶ ἔκραξαν, κλαίοντες καὶ πενθοῦντες λέγοντες, ‘Οὐαὶ, οὐαί, ἡ πόλις ἡ μεγάλη, ἐν ᾗ ἐπλούτησαν πάντες οἱ ἔχοντες τὰ πλοῖα ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ ἐκ τῆς τιμιότητος αὐτῆς! Ὅτι μιᾷ ὥρᾳ ἠρημώθη.’ ‡
(Kai ebalon ⱪoun epi tas kefalas autōn, kai ekraxan, klaiontes kai penthountes legontes, ‘Ouai, ouai, haʸ polis haʸ megalaʸ, en haʸ eploutaʸsan pantes hoi eⱪontes ta ploia en taʸ thalassaʸ ek taʸs timiotaʸtos autaʸs! Hoti mia hōra aʸraʸmōthaʸ.’)
Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).
ULT And they threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and mourning, saying,
⇔ “Woe, woe, the great city,
⇔ by which all the ones having ships in the sea
⇔ became rich from her wealth,
⇔ for in one hour she has been destroyed.”
UST They will even throw dust on their heads to show that they are sad. Then they will shout in great distress, “Very terrible things have happened to Babylon. The people who lived in that city bought many expensive things, so that people who owned ships earned a lot of money by transporting those things there. God has destroyed that city so quickly!”
BSB Then they will throw dust on their heads as they weep and mourn and cry out:
⇔ “Woe, woe to the great city,
⇔ [where] all who had ships on the sea
⇔ were enriched by her wealth!
⇔ For in a single hour
⇔ she has been destroyed.”
MSB (Same as BSB above)
BLB And they cast dust upon their heads, and they were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying: "Woe, woe, the great city, in which all those having ships in the sea were enriched through her wealth! For in one hour she has been brought to desolation."
AICNT And they threw dust on their heads and {were crying out},[fn] [weeping and mourning,][fn] saying, ‘Woe, [woe,][fn] the great city, in which all who had ships at sea became rich by her wealth, for in one hour she has been laid waste.’
18:19, were crying out: ℵ(01) BYZ TR NA28 ‖ Some manuscripts read “cried out.” A(02) C(04) SBLGNT THGNT
18:19, weeping and mourning: Absent from A(02).
18:19, woe: Absent from some manuscripts. ℵ(01)
OEB They threw dust on their heads, and, as they wept and wailed, they cried – ‘Alas! Alas! Great city! All who have ships on the sea grew rich through her magnificence. In a single hour it has vanished.’
WEBBE They cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and mourning, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had their ships in the sea were made rich by reason of her great wealth!’ For she is made desolate in one hour.
WMBB (Same as above)
NET And they threw dust on their heads and were shouting with weeping and mourning,
⇔ “Woe, Woe, O great city –
⇔ in which all those who had ships on the sea got rich from her wealth –
⇔ because in a single hour she has been destroyed!”
LSV And they cast dust on their heads, and were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying, Woe, woe, the great city! In which were made rich all having ships in the sea, out of her costliness—for in one hour was she made desolate.
FBV They threw dust on their heads, shouting and crying and grieving, ‘Disaster, disaster has struck the great city that made every ship-owner rich because of her extravagance! In just one hour she was destroyed!’
TCNT § They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and mourning aloud,
⇔ “Alas, alas, for the great city,
⇔ where all who had ships at sea
⇔ grew rich from her valuable merchandise!
⇔ For in a single hour she has been laid waste.
T4T They will throw dust on their heads to show that they are sad, and they will shout, weep, and mourn [DOU]. They will say, ‘Terrible things have happened to the awesome/great cities, the cities that made all people who own ships that sail on the ocean become rich by carrying their costly ◄things for them to sell/merchandise►! God has suddenly and swiftly destroyed [MTY] those cities!’ ”
LEB And they threw dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying,
• “Woe, woe, the great city,
• in which all those who had ships on the sea
• became rich from her prosperity,
• because in one hour she has been laid waste!”
BBE And they put dust on their heads, and were sad, weeping and crying, and saying, Sorrow, sorrow for the great town, in which was increased the wealth of all who had their ships on the sea because of her great stores! for in one hour she is made waste.
Moff They threw dust on their heads and cried, as they wept and wailed,
⇔ "Woe and alas for the great City,
⇔ where all shipmen made rich profit by her treasures!
⇔ Gone, gone in one brief hour!"
Wymth And they threw dust upon their heads, and cried out, weeping aloud and sorrowing. `Alas, alas,' they said, `for this great city, in which, through her vast wealth, the owners of all the ships on the sea have grown rich; because in one short hour she has been laid waste!'
ASV And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and mourning, saying, Woe, woe, the great city, wherein all that had their ships in the sea were made rich by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.
DRA And they cast dust upon their heads, and cried, weeping and mourning, saying: Alas! alas! that great city, wherein all were made rich, that had ships at sea, by reason of her prices: for in one hour she is made desolate.
YLT and they did cast dust upon their heads, and were crying out, weeping and sorrowing, saying, Woe, woe, the great city! in which were made rich all having ships in the sea, out of her costliness — for in one hour was she made waste.
Drby and cast dust upon their heads, and cried, weeping and grieving, saying, Woe, woe, the great city, in which all that had ships in the sea were enriched through her costliness! for in one hour she has been made desolate.
RV And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and mourning, saying, Woe, woe, the great city, wherein were made rich all that had their ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.
SLT And they cast earth upon their heads, and cried, weeping and mourning, saying, Woe, woe, the great city, in which all having ships in the sea were rich by her value! for in one hour was she rendered a desert.
Wbstr And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, in which were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her opulence! for in one hour is she made desolate.
KJB-1769 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.
KJB-1611 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping, and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great citie, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea, by reason of her costlinesse, for in one houre is she made desolate.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)
Bshps And they cast dust on their heades, & cryed, wepyng & waylyng, and saying: Alas, alas, that great citie, wherein were made riche all that had shippes in the sea, by reason of her costlynesse, for at one houre is she made desolate.
(And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wayling, and saying: Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea, by reason of her costlyness, for at one hour is she made desolate.)
Gnva And they shall cast dust on their heads, and crie, weeping, and wayling, and say, Alas, alas, that great citie, wherein were made rich all that had ships on the sea by her costlinesse: for in one houre she is made desolate.
(And they shall cast dust on their heads, and cry, weeping, and wayling, and say, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships on the sea by her costliness: for in one hour she is made desolate. )
Cvdl And they cast dust on their heades, and cryed wepynge, and waylinge, and sayde: Alas, Alas the greate cite, wherin were made ryche all that had shippes in the see, by the reason of her wares: for at one houre is she made desolate.
(And they cast dust on their heads, and cried weeping, and waylinge, and said: Alas, Alas the great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea, by the reason of her wares: for at one hour is she made desolate.)
TNT And they cast dust on their heddes and cryed wepynge and waylinge and sayed: Alas Alas that greate cite wherin were made ryche all that had shyppes in the see by the reason of her costlynes for atone houre is she made desolate
(And they cast dust on their heads and cried weeping and waylinge and said: Alas Alas that great cite wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by the reason of her costlynes for atone hour is she made desolate )
Wycl And thei casten poudre on her heedis, and crieden, wepynge, and mornynge, and seiynge, Wo! wo! thilke greet citee, in which alle that han schippis in the see ben maad riche of pricis of it; for in oon our it is desolat.
(And they casten poudre on her heads, and cried, weeping, and morning, and saying, Wo! woe! that great city, in which all that have ships in the sea been made rich of pricis of it; for in one our it is desolate.)
Luth Und sie warfen Staub auf ihre Häupter und schrieen, weineten und klagten und sprachen: Wehe, wehe! die große Stadt, in welcher reich worden sind alle, die da Schiffe im Meer hatten, von ihrer Ware! Denn in einer Stunde ist sie verwüstet.
(And they/she/them threw dust on/in/to their/her heads and shouted/screamed, cried and complainsen and said: Woe, woe! the large city, in which rich/wealthy been are all, the there ships in_the sea had, from of_their/her Ware! Because in one/a hour is they/she/them devastated.)
ClVg et miserunt pulverem super capita sua, et clamaverunt flentes, et lugentes, dicentes: Væ, væ civitas illa magna, in qua divites facti sunt omnes, qui habebant naves in mari de pretiis ejus: quoniam una hora desolata est.
(and they_sent dust over heads his_own, and they_cried crying, and they_mournes, saying: Alas/Woe, woe city that big, in/into/on which rich made are everyone, who/which they_had ships in/into/on of_the_sea from/about prices his: since/because together hour desolate it_is. )
UGNT καὶ ἔβαλον χοῦν ἐπὶ τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτῶν, καὶ ἔκραζον, κλαίοντες καὶ πενθοῦντες λέγοντες, οὐαὶ, οὐαί, ἡ πόλις ἡ μεγάλη, ἐν ᾗ ἐπλούτησαν πάντες οἱ ἔχοντες τὰ πλοῖα ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ ἐκ τῆς τιμιότητος αὐτῆς! ὅτι μιᾷ ὥρᾳ ἠρημώθη.
(kai ebalon ⱪoun epi tas kefalas autōn, kai ekrazon, klaiontes kai penthountes legontes, ouai, ouai, haʸ polis haʸ megalaʸ, en haʸ eploutaʸsan pantes hoi eⱪontes ta ploia en taʸ thalassaʸ ek taʸs timiotaʸtos autaʸs! hoti mia hōra aʸraʸmōthaʸ.)
SBL-GNT καὶ ἔβαλον χοῦν ἐπὶ τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτῶν καὶ ⸀ἔκραξαν κλαίοντες καὶ ⸀πενθοῦντες λέγοντες· Οὐαὶ οὐαί, ἡ πόλις ἡ μεγάλη, ἐν ᾗ ἐπλούτησαν πάντες οἱ ἔχοντες τὰ πλοῖα ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ ἐκ τῆς τιμιότητος αὐτῆς, ὅτι μιᾷ ὥρᾳ ἠρημώθη.
(kai ebalon ⱪoun epi tas kefalas autōn kai ⸀ekraxan klaiontes kai ⸀penthountes legontes; Ouai ouai, haʸ polis haʸ megalaʸ, en haʸ eploutaʸsan pantes hoi eⱪontes ta ploia en taʸ thalassaʸ ek taʸs timiotaʸtos autaʸs, hoti mia hōra aʸraʸmōthaʸ.)
RP-GNT Καὶ ἔβαλον χοῦν ἐπὶ τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτῶν, καὶ ἔκραζον κλαίοντες καὶ πενθοῦντες καὶ λέγοντες, Οὐαί, οὐαί, ἡ πόλις ἡ μεγάλη, ἐν ᾗ ἐπλούτησαν πάντες οἱ ἔχοντες τὰ πλοῖα ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ ἐκ τῆς τιμιότητος αὐτῆς, ὅτι μιᾷ ὥρᾳ ἠρημώθη.
(Kai ebalon ⱪoun epi tas kefalas autōn, kai ekrazon klaiontes kai penthountes kai legontes, Ouai, ouai, haʸ polis haʸ megalaʸ, en haʸ eploutaʸsan pantes hoi eⱪontes ta ploia en taʸ thalassaʸ ek taʸs timiotaʸtos autaʸs, hoti mia hōra aʸraʸmōthaʸ.)
TC-GNT § Καὶ ἔβαλον χοῦν ἐπὶ τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτῶν, καὶ [fn]ἔκραζον κλαίοντες καὶ πενθοῦντες [fn]καὶ λέγοντες,
⇔ Οὐαί, οὐαί, ἡ πόλις ἡ μεγάλη,
⇔ ἐν ᾗ ἐπλούτησαν πάντες οἱ ἔχοντες [fn]τὰ πλοῖα ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ
⇔ ἐκ τῆς τιμιότητος αὐτῆς,
⇔ ὅτι μιᾷ ὥρᾳ ἠρημώθη.
( § Kai ebalon ⱪoun epi tas kefalas autōn, kai ekrazon klaiontes kai penthountes kai legontes,
⇔ Ouai, ouai, haʸ polis haʸ megalaʸ,
⇔ en haʸ eploutaʸsan pantes hoi eⱪontes ta ploia en taʸ thalassaʸ
⇔ ek taʸs timiotaʸtos autaʸs,
⇔ hoti mia hōra aʸraʸmōthaʸ. )
18:19 εκραζον 𝔐A,C,K [88.8%] ¦ εκραξαν SBL TH WH [3.3%] ¦ {omit και εβαλον χουν επι τας κεφαλας αυτων και εκραζον κλαιοντες και πενθουντες και λεγοντες} MSS [5.6%]
18:19 και 𝔐A,C,K [70.4%] ¦ — ANT NA SBL TH TR WH [11.3%] ¦ {omit και εβαλον χουν επι τας κεφαλας αυτων και εκραζον κλαιοντες και πενθουντες και λεγοντες} MSS [5.6%]
18:19 τα 𝔐C,K [69.9%] ¦ — 𝔐A TR [30.1%]
Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).
18:1-24 This chapter contains seven poetic responses to the fall of Babylon (or Rome; see study note on 17:5).
In this section, three heavenly beings each announce something about Babylon. The first announcement is that the city is destroyed. Her riches and prosperity have been taken away.
The second announcement is that God’s people should leave Babylon before God destroys her. It also describes how kings and others mourn over the destroyed city.
The third announcement is that Babylon will never be built again.
Other examples of headings for this section are:
An angel announced that Babylon was destroyed, and some groups are sad
Announcements about the destruction of Babylon
Various people talk about Babylon
Then they will throw dust on their heads
They will throw dust on their heads to show their sorrow,
They will show that they are very sad
Then they will throw dust on their heads: This clause refers to the common way of showing grief at that time. The shipmaster, passengers, sailors, and others will mourn the loss of Babylon.
In some languages throwing dust on the head is not a sign of mourning. If that is true in your language, you may want to:
Explain its meaning in your translation. For example:
They will show their sadness/mourning by throwing dust on their heads
Translate the literal meaning and explain its meaning in a footnote. An example footnote is:
Throwing dust on the head was the common way of showing grief at that time.
Use a custom in your language that shows grief. You may then want to explain the literal words in a footnote. An example footnote is:
Literally: “They will throw dust on their heads.” At that time in that region, doing that showed grief.
Translate the meaning of this custom. For example:
They will mourn
as they weep and mourn and cry out:
and they will shout with tears and grief,
and will cry and lament loudly,
as they weep: These words refer to tears in the eyes because of sadness. Here the words may also refer to the noise people make when crying. But it probably does not refer to the loud noise of wailing here.
mourn: This word refers to being very sad or grieving. The sea captains and other people will be very sad that Babylon is gone. Other ways to translate this word are:
grieve
have great sorrow
cry out: The Greek word that the BSB translates as cry out refers to speaking loudly with a strong desire to be heard. See how you translated this word in 18:18.
“Woe, woe to the great city, where all who had ships on the sea were enriched by her wealth!
“Great city, a city so wealthy that all sea ship owners became rich by trading with her! How terrible, so terrible for her!
“That/This great city in which sea ship owners became rich by transporting expensive goods to her! There is great and terrible trouble for her!
Woe, woe to the great city: These words were probably spoken about Babylon, rather than to her. She is addressed by “she” in 18:19d. For example:
Alas, alas, that great city (KJV)
Woe, woe: The word Woe is repeated to emphasize its meaning. See how you translated this phrase in 18:16.
all who had ships: This phrase refers to the people who owned ocean-going ships. For example:
every owner of a sea–going ship (NJB)
were enriched by her wealth: The word by indicates that the shipowners became rich because of selling things to Babylon. She bought many expensive goods. The shipowners made a lot of money from fees for bringing those goods to Babylon on their ships. Other ways to translate this phrase are:
grew rich from her prosperity (REB)
became wealthy by trading with her, and she was so wealthy!
her wealth made owners of all the ships on the sea richWestern Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation on TW.
wealth: The Greek word here refers to things that are expensive or costly. Babylon spent a lot of money on expensive goods. Other ways to translate this word are:
lavish living (NJB)
costly/extravagant goods
For in a single hour she has been destroyed.”
For in one hour she has been destroyed!”
He/They has completely ruined her in a single hour!”
For: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as For is often translated as “because.” This conjunction introduces the reason for the saying of “woe” in 18:19c. In some languages it is necessary or more natural not to translate the conjunction. Do this if the context implies in your language that 18:19d is the reason for the saying of woe in 18:19c.
in a single hour she has been destroyed: This is a passive clause, similar to 18:17a. The difference here is that the word she replaces “such great wealth.” Some languages must use an active or intransitive clause. For example:
In one hour they have destroyed her
in one hour she has lost everything! (GNT)
in a short time all of the things in it have perished
in a single hour: This phrase implies suddenly or in a short time. Translate this phrase as you did in 18:10.
Note 1 topic: translate-symaction
ἔβαλον χοῦν ἐπὶ τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτῶν
˱they˲_cast dust (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί ἔβαλον χοῦν ἐπί τάς κεφαλάς αὐτῶν καί ἔκραξαν κλαίοντες καί πενθοῦντες λέγοντες Οὐαί οὐαί ἡ πόλις ἡ μεγάλη ἐν ᾗ ἐπλούτησαν πάντες οἱ ἔχοντες τά πλοῖα ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ ἐκ τῆς τιμιότητος αὐτῆς Ὅτι μιᾷ ὥρᾳ ἠρημώθη)
The sea workers threw dust on their heads as a symbolic action to show how distressed they were that Babylon had been destroyed. If this would not be clear to your readers, you could explain the significance of this action. Alternate translation: [they threw dust on their heads to show how distressed they were]
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet
κλαίοντες καὶ πενθοῦντες
weeping (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί ἔβαλον χοῦν ἐπί τάς κεφαλάς αὐτῶν καί ἔκραξαν κλαίοντες καί πενθοῦντες λέγοντες Οὐαί οὐαί ἡ πόλις ἡ μεγάλη ἐν ᾗ ἐπλούτησαν πάντες οἱ ἔχοντες τά πλοῖα ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ ἐκ τῆς τιμιότητος αὐτῆς Ὅτι μιᾷ ὥρᾳ ἠρημώθη)
The terms weeping and mourning mean similar things. John is using the two terms together for emphasis. If it would be clearer for your readers, you could express the emphasis with a single phrase. Alternate translation: [weeping bitterly]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicitinfo
τὰ πλοῖα ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί ἔβαλον χοῦν ἐπί τάς κεφαλάς αὐτῶν καί ἔκραξαν κλαίοντες καί πενθοῦντες λέγοντες Οὐαί οὐαί ἡ πόλις ἡ μεγάλη ἐν ᾗ ἐπλούτησαν πάντες οἱ ἔχοντες τά πλοῖα ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ ἐκ τῆς τιμιότητος αὐτῆς Ὅτι μιᾷ ὥρᾳ ἠρημώθη)
It might seem that the expression ships in the sea contains extra information that would be unnatural to express in your language. If so, you could shorten it. Alternate translation: [ships]
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive
ἠρημώθη
˱she˲_˓was˒_desolated
If your language does not use this passive form, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. If you need to say who did the action, the context suggests that it was God. Alternate translation: [God has destroyed her]