Isaiah 14:3–11

Downfall of the King of Babylon

³When the Lord has given you rest from your pain and turmoil and the hard service with which you were made to serve,^{* 4}you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon:

How the oppressor has ceased!

How his insolence^w has ceased!^*

⁵The Lord has broken the staff of the wicked,

the scepter of rulers,

⁶that struck down the peoples in wrath

with unceasing blows,

that ruled the nations in anger

with unrelenting persecution.^*

⁷The whole earth is at rest and quiet;

they break forth into singing.

⁸The cypresses exult over you,

the cedars of Lebanon, saying,

“Since you were laid low,

no one comes to cut us down.”^*

⁹Sheol beneath is stirred up

to meet you when you come;

it rouses the shades to greet you,

all who were leaders of the earth;

it raises from their thrones

all who were kings of the nations.^*

¹⁰All of them will speak

and say to you:

“You, too, have become as weak as we!

You have become like us!”

¹¹Your pomp is brought down to Sheol,

and the sound of your harps;

maggots are the bed beneath you,

and worms are your covering.^*