The Fall of Babylon Predicted
1Come down,and sitin the dust,O virgindaughterof Babylon,siton the ground:[there is] no throne,O daughterof the Chaldeans:for thou shalt no morebe calledtenderand delicate.
2Takethe millstones,and grindmeal:uncoverthy locks,make barethe leg,uncoverthe thigh,pass overthe rivers.
3Thy nakednessshall be uncovered,yea, thy shameshall be seen:I will takevengeance,and I will not meet[thee as] a man.
4[As for] our redeemer,the LORDof hosts[is] his name,the Holy Oneof Israel.
5Sitthou silent,and getthee into darkness,O daughterof the Chaldeans:for thou shalt no morebe called,The ladyof kingdoms.
6I was wrothwith my people,I have pollutedmine inheritance,and giventhem into thine hand:thou didst shewthem no mercy;upon the ancienthast thou veryheavilylaid thy yoke.
7And thou saidst,I shall be a ladyfor ever:[so] that thou didst not laythese [things] to thy heart,neither didst rememberthe latter endof it.
8Therefore hearnow this, [thou that art] given to pleasures,that dwellestcarelessly,that sayestin thine heart,I [am], and none elsebeside me; I shall not sit[as] a widow,neither shall I knowthe loss of children:
9But these two[things] shall cometo thee in a momentin oneday,the loss of children,and widowhood:they shall comeupon thee in their perfectionfor the multitudeof thy sorceries,[and] for the greatabundanceof thine enchantments.
10For thou hast trustedin thy wickedness:thou hast said,None seethme. Thy wisdomand thy knowledge,it hath pervertedthee; and thou hast saidin thine heart,I [am], and none elsebeside me.
11Therefore shall evilcomeupon thee; thou shalt not knowfrom whence it riseth:and mischiefshall fallupon thee; thou shalt not be ableto put it off:and desolationshall comeupon thee suddenly,[which] thou shalt not know.
12Standnow with thine enchantments,and with the multitudeof thy sorceries,whereinthou hast labouredfrom thy youth;if so be thou shalt be ableto profit,if so be thou mayest prevail.
13Thou art weariedin the multitudeof thy counsels.Let now the astrologers,the stargazers,the monthlyprognosticators,stand up,and savethee from [these things] that shall comeupon thee.
14Behold, they shall be as stubble;the fireshall burnthem; they shall not deliverthemselvesfrom the powerof the flame:[there shall] not [be] a coalto warmat, [nor] fireto sitbefore it.
15Thus shall they be unto thee with whom thou hast laboured,[even] thy merchants,from thy youth:they shall wanderevery oneto his quarter;none shall savethee.
