Isaiah 13:6–16

⁶Cry out! The day of the Lord is near.

The Mighty One is coming to destroy them.

⁷Their hands won’t be able to help them.

Everyone’s heart will melt away in fear.

⁸The people will be filled with terror.

Pain and suffering will grab hold of them.

They will groan with pain like a woman having a baby.

They’ll look at one another in terror.

Their faces will burn with shame.

⁹The day of the Lord is coming.

It will be a terrible day.

The Lord’s burning anger will blaze out.

He will make the land dry and empty.

He’ll destroy the sinners in it.

¹⁰All of the stars in the sky

will stop giving their light.

The sun will be darkened as soon as it rises.

The moon will not shine.

¹¹The Lord will punish the world because it is so evil.

He will punish evil people for their sins.

He’ll put an end to the bragging of those who are proud.

He’ll bring down the pride of those who don’t show any pity.

¹²He’ll make men harder to find than pure gold.

They will be harder to find than gold from Ophir.

¹³He will make the heavens tremble.

He’ll shake the earth out of its place.

The Lord who rules over all will show how angry he is.

At that time his burning anger will blaze out.

¹⁴Outsiders who live in Babylonia will scatter

like antelope that are chased by a hunter.

They are like sheep that don’t have a shepherd.

All of them will return to their own people.

They will run back to their own countries.

¹⁵Those who are captured will have spears stuck through them.

Those who are caught will be killed with swords.

¹⁶Their babies will be smashed to pieces

right in front of their eyes.

Their houses will be robbed.

Their wives will be raped.