Isaiah 47

Babylon’s Fall

47Come down and sit on the dust, virgin daughter of Babylon!

Sit on the ground without a throne, daughter of Chaldea!

For they shall no longer call^a you tender and delicate.

²Take the pair of mill stones and grind flour!

Uncover your veil,

strip off your skirt,

uncover your thigh,

pass through the rivers!

³Your nakedness shall be exposed;

indeed, your shame shall become visible.

I will take vengeance

and I will not spare^b a person.

⁴Our redeemer, Yahweh of hosts is his name, the holy one of Israel.

⁵Sit silently and go into the darkness, daughter of Chaldea,

for they shall no longer call^c you mistress of kingdoms.

⁶I was angry with my people;

I profaned my inheritance,

and I gave them into your hand.

You did not give^d them mercy;

on the aged you made your yoke very heavy.

⁷And you said, “I shall be an eternal mistress forever!”

You did not set these things upon your heart;

you did not remember its end.

⁸Therefore now hear this, luxuriant one who sits^e in security,

who says^f in her heart, “I am, and besides me there is no one.

I shall not sit as a widow,

and I shall not know the loss of children.”

⁹And these two shall come to you in a moment, in one day:

the loss of children and widowhood shall come on you completely,^g

in spite of your many sorceries,

in spite of the power of your great enchantments.

¹⁰And you felt secure in your wickedness;

you said, “No one^h seesⁱ me.”

Your wisdom and your knowledge led you astray,

and you said in your heart, “I am, and besides me there is no one.”

¹¹And evil shall come upon you, you will not know;

it will be on the lookout for her.

And disaster shall fall upon you; you will not be able to avert^j it.

And ruin shall come on you suddenly; you do not know.

¹²Stand, now, in your enchantments,

and in your many sorceries with which you have labored from your youth.

Perhaps you may be able to benefit;

perhaps you may scare away.^k

¹³You struggle with your many consultations;^l

let them stand, now, and save you—

those who see the stars, divide the celestial sphere,^m

who inform by new moons—

from those things that are coming upon you.

¹⁴Look! They are like stubble;

the fire burns them completely.

They cannot deliver themselvesⁿ from the power^o of the flame;

there is no coal for warming oneself,^p

no fire before which to sit.

¹⁵So are to you those with whom you have labored,

your traders from your youth.

They wander, each to his side;

there is no one who can save you.