Isaiah 46:8–47:11

8 “Remembera this, keep it in mind,

take it to heart, you rebels.b

9 Remember the former things,c those of long ago;d

I am God, and there is no other;

I am God, and there is none like me.e

10 I make known the end from the beginning,f

from ancient times,g what is still to come.h

I say, ‘My purpose will stand,i

and I will do all that I please.’

11 From the east I summonj a bird of prey;k

from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose.

What I have said, that I will bring about;

what I have planned,l that I will do.m

12 Listenn to me, you stubborn-hearted,o

you who are now far from my righteousness.p

13 I am bringing my righteousnessq near,

it is not far away;

and my salvationr will not be delayed.

I will grant salvation to Zion,s

my splendort to Israel.

The Fall of Babylon

47 “Go down, sit in the dust,u

Virgin Daughterv Babylon;

sit on the ground without a throne,

queen city of the Babylonians.a w

No more will you be called

tender or delicate.x

2 Take millstonesy and grindz flour;

take off your veil.a

Lift up your skirts,b bare your legs,

and wade through the streams.

3 Your nakednessc will be exposed

and your shamed uncovered.

I will take vengeance;e

I will spare no one.f”

4 Our Redeemerg—the Lord Almightyh is his namei—

is the Holy Onej of Israel.

5 “Sit in silence,k go into darkness,l

queen city of the Babylonians;m

no more will you be called

queenn of kingdoms.o

6 I was angryp with my people

and desecrated my inheritance;q

I gave them into your hand,r

and you showed them no mercy.s

Even on the aged

you laid a very heavy yoke.

7 You said, ‘I am forevert—

the eternal queen!’u

But you did not consider these things

or reflectv on what might happen.w

8 “Now then, listen, you lover of pleasure,

lounging in your securityx

and saying to yourself,

‘I am, and there is none besides me.y

I will never be a widowz

or suffer the loss of children.’

9 Both of these will overtake you

in a moment,a on a single day:

loss of childrenb and widowhood.c

They will come upon you in full measure,

in spite of your many sorceriesd

and all your potent spells.e

10 You have trustedf in your wickedness

and have said, ‘No one sees me.’g

Your wisdomh and knowledge misleadi you

when you say to yourself,

‘I am, and there is none besides me.’

11 Disasterj will come upon you,

and you will not know how to conjure it away.

A calamity will fall upon you

that you cannot ward off with a ransom;

a catastrophe you cannot foresee

will suddenlyk come upon you.