5 “Look at the nations and watch—

and be utterly amazed.

For I am going to do something in your days

that you would not believe,

even if you were told.

6 I am raising up the Babylonians,

that ruthless and impetuous people,

who sweep across the whole earth

to seize dwellings not their own.

7 They are a feared and dreaded people;

they are a law to themselves

and promote their own honor.

8 Their horses are swifter than leopards,

fiercer than wolves at dusk.

Their cavalry gallops headlong;

their horsemen come from afar.

They fly like an eagle swooping to devour;

9 they all come intent on violence.

Their hordes advance like a desert wind

and gather prisoners like sand.

5 Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously:

For I will work a work in your days,

Which ye will not believe, though it be told you.

6 For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation,

Which shall march through the breadth of the land,

To possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs.

7 They are terrible and dreadful:

Their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves.

8 Their horses also are swifter than the leopards,

And are more fierce than the evening wolves:

And their horsemen shall spread themselves,

And their horsemen shall come from far;

They shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat.

9 They shall come all for violence:

Their faces shall sup up as the east wind,

And they shall gather the captivity as the sand.

5 The Lord replied,

“Look around at the nations;

look and be amazed!

For I am doing something in your own day,

something you wouldn’t believe

even if someone told you about it.

6 I am raising up the Babylonians,

a cruel and violent people.

They will march across the world

and conquer other lands.

7 They are notorious for their cruelty

and do whatever they like.

8 Their horses are swifter than cheetahs

and fiercer than wolves at dusk.

Their charioteers charge from far away.

Like eagles, they swoop down to devour their prey.

9 “On they come, all bent on violence.

Their hordes advance like a desert wind,

sweeping captives ahead of them like sand.

5 “Look among the nations and watch—

Be utterly astounded!

For I will work a work in your days

Which you would not believe, though it were told you.

6 For indeed I am raising up the Chaldeans,

A bitter and hasty nation

Which marches through the breadth of the earth,

To possess dwelling places that are not theirs.

7 They are terrible and dreadful;

Their judgment and their dignity proceed from themselves.

8 Their horses also are swifter than leopards,

And more fierce than evening wolves.

Their chargers charge ahead;

Their cavalry comes from afar;

They fly as the eagle that hastens to eat.

9 “They all come for violence;

Their faces are set like the east wind.

They gather captives like sand.

5 “Look at the nations!

Watch them and be amazed and shocked.

I will do something in your lifetime

that you won’t believe even when you are told about it.

6 I will use the Babylonians,

those cruel and wild people

who march across the earth

and take lands that don’t belong to them.

7 They scare and frighten people.

They do what they want to do

and are good only to themselves.

8 Their horses are faster than leopards

and quicker than wolves at sunset.

Their horse soldiers attack quickly;

they come from places far away.

They attack quickly, like an eagle swooping down for food.

9 They all come to fight.

Nothing can stop them.

Their prisoners are as many as the grains of sand.

5 Behold ye among the nations, and look, and wonder marvellously; for I am working a work in your days, which ye will not believe though it be told you. 6 For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, that march through the breadth of the earth, to possess dwelling-places that are not theirs. 7 They are terrible and dreadful; their judgment and their dignity proceed from themselves. 8 Their horses also are swifter than leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves; and their horsemen press proudly on: yea, their horsemen come from far; they fly as an eagle that hasteth to devour. 9 They come all of them for violence; the set of their faces is forwards; and they gather captives as the sand.

5 See ye among the nations, and behold, and wonder marvellously; for I work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be declared to you. 6 For behold, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and impetuous nation, which marcheth through the breadth of the earth, to possess dwelling-places that are not theirs. 7 They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity proceed from themselves. 8 And their horses are swifter than the leopards, and are more agile than the evening wolves; and their horsemen prance proudly, and their horsemen come from afar: they fly as an eagle that hasteth to devour. 9 They come all of them for violence: the crowd of their faces is forwards, and they gather captives as the sand.

5 Look among the nations and watch. 

Be amazed and astonished. 

I am going to do something in your days 

that you would not believe even if it were reported to you. 

6 I am going to send the Babylonians, 

that fierce and reckless nation. 

They will march throughout the earth 

to take possession of lands that don’t belong to them. 

7 They will be terrifying and fearsome. 

They will carry out their own kind of justice and honor. 

8 Their horses will be faster than leopards 

and quicker than wolves in the evening. 

Their riders will gallop along proudly. 

Their riders will come from far away. 

They will fly like an eagle that swoops down for its prey. 

9 They will all come for violence. 

Every face will be directed forward. 

They will gather prisoners like sand. 

5 Look at the nations and observe —

be utterly astounded!

For something is taking place in your days

that you will not believe

when you hear about it.

6 Look! I am raising up the Chaldeans,

that bitter, impetuous nation

that marches across the earth’s open spaces

to seize territories not its own.

7 They are fierce and terrifying;

their views of justice and sovereignty

stem from themselves.

8 Their horses are swifter than leopards

and more fierce than wolves of the night.

Their horsemen charge ahead;

their horsemen come from distant lands.

They fly like an eagle, swooping to devour.

9 All of them come to do violence;

their faces are set in determination.

They gather prisoners like sand.

5 Look at the nations, and see!

Be astonished! Be astounded!

For a work is being done in your days

that you would not believe if you were told.

6 For I am rousing the Chaldeans,

that fierce and impetuous nation,

who march through the breadth of the earth

to seize dwellings not their own.

7 Dread and fearsome are they;

their justice and dignity proceed from themselves.

8 Their horses are swifter than leopards,

more menacing than wolves at dusk;

their horses charge.

Their horsemen come from far away;

they fly like an eagle swift to devour.

9 They all come for violence,

with faces pressing forward;

they gather captives like sand.

5 “Look among the nations and see;

be astonished and astounded.

For a work is about to be done in your days

that you will not believe if it is told.

6 For look! I am raising up the Chaldeans,

the bitter and impetuous nation,

the one who walks through the spacious places of earth

to take possession of dwellings not belonging to it.

7 They are dreadful and awesome;

their justice and their dignity proceed from themselves.

8 Their horses are more swift than leopards;

they are more menacing than wolves at dusk.

Their horsemen gallop; their horsemen come from afar;

they fly like an eagle that is swift to devour.

9 All of them come for violence,

their faces pressing forward.

They gather captives like the sand.

5 The Lord replies,

“Look at the nations. Watch them.

Be totally amazed at what you see.

I am going to do something in your days

that you would never believe.

You would not believe it

even if someone told you about it.

6 I am going to send the armies of Babylonia to attack you.

They are very mean. They move quickly.

They sweep across the whole earth.

They take over places

that do not belong to them.

7 They terrify others.

They do not recognize any laws but their own.

That is how proud they are.

8 Their horses are faster than leopards.

They are meaner than wolves in the dark.

Their horsemen charge straight into battle.

They ride in from far away.

They come down like an eagle

diving for its food.

9 All of them are ready to destroy others.

Their huge armies advance like a wind out of the desert.

They gather prisoners like sand.

5 “Look among the nations! Observe!

Be astonished! Wonder!

Because I am doing something in your days—

You would not believe if you were told.

6 “For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans,

That fierce and impetuous people

Who march throughout the earth

To seize dwelling places which are not theirs.

7 “They are dreaded and feared;

Their justice and authority originate with themselves.

8 “Their horses are swifter than leopards

And keener than wolves in the evening.

Their horsemen come galloping,

Their horsemen come from afar;

They fly like an eagle swooping down to devour.

9 “All of them come for violence.

Their horde of faces moves forward.

They collect captives like sand.