A Message About Babylon
1Here is the message the Lord spoke through Jeremiah the prophet. It was about the city of Babylon and the land of Babylon. He said,
2“Announce this message among the nations.
Lift up a banner.
Let the nations hear the message.
Do not keep anything back.
Say, ‘Babylon will be captured.
The god named Bel will be put to shame.
The god named Marduk will be filled with terror.
Babylon’s gods will be put to shame.
The gods its people made will be filled with terror.’
3A nation from the north will attack it.
That nation will destroy Babylon.
No one will live there.
People and animals alike will run away.
4“The days are coming,”
announces the Lord.
“At that time the people of Israel and Judah will gather together.
They will come in tears to me.
I am the Lord their God.
5They will ask how to get to Zion.
Then they will turn their faces toward it.
They will come and join themselves to me.
They will enter into the covenant I make with them.
It will last forever.
It will never be forgotten.
6“My people have been like lost sheep.
Their shepherds have led them astray.
They have caused them to wander in the mountains.
They have wandered over mountains and hills.
They have forgotten that I am their true resting place.
7Everyone who found them destroyed them.
Their enemies said, ‘We aren’t guilty.
They sinned against the Lord.
He gave them everything they needed.
He has always been Israel’s hope.’
8“People of Judah, run away from Babylon.
Leave the land of Babylon.
Be like the goats that lead the flock.
9I will stir up great nations
that will join forces against Babylon.
I will bring them from the land of the north.
They will take up their battle positions against Babylon.
They will come from the north and capture it.
Their arrows will be like skilled soldiers.
They will not miss their mark.
10So the riches of Babylon will be taken away.
All those who steal from it will have more than enough,”
announces the Lord.
11“People of Babylon, you have stolen what belongs to me.
That has made you glad and full of joy.
You dance around like a young cow on a threshing floor.
You neigh like stallions.
12Because of that, you will bring great shame on your land.
Your whole nation will be dishonored.
It will become the least important of the nations.
It will become a dry and empty desert.
13Because I am angry with it, no one will live there.
It will be completely deserted.
All those who pass by Babylon will be shocked.
They will make fun of it because of all its wounds.
14“All you who shoot arrows,
take up your battle positions around Babylon.
Shoot at it! Do not spare any arrows!
Its people have sinned against me.
15Shout against them on every side!
They are giving up.
The towers of the city are falling.
Its walls are being pulled down.
The Lord is paying back its people.
So pay them back yourselves.
Do to them what they have done to others.
16Do not leave anyone in Babylon to plant the fields.
Do not leave anyone to harvest the grain.
Let each of them return to their own people.
Let them run away to their own land.
If they don’t, their enemy’s sword will bring them great harm.
17“Israel is like a scattered flock
that lions have chased away.
The first lion that ate them up
was the king of Assyria.
The last one that broke their bones
was Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon.”
18The Lord who rules over all is the God of Israel. He says,
“I punished the king of Assyria.
In the same way, I will punish
the king of Babylon and his land.
19But I will bring Israel back to their own grasslands.
I will feed them on Mount Carmel and in Bashan.
I will satisfy their hunger
on the hills of Ephraim and Gilead.
20The days are coming,”
announces the Lord.
“At that time people will search for Israel’s guilt.
But they will not find any.
They will search for Judah’s sins.
But they will not find any.
That is because I will forgive the people I have spared.
21“Enemies of Babylon, attack their land of Merathaim.
Make war against those who live in Pekod.
Chase them and kill them. Destroy them completely,”
announces the Lord.
“Do everything I have commanded you to do.
22The noise of battle is heard in the land.
It is the noise of a great city being destroyed!
23It has been broken to pieces.
It was the hammer that broke the whole earth.
How empty Babylon is among the nations!
24Babylon, I set a trap for you.
And you were caught before you knew it.
You were found and captured.
That is because you opposed me.
25I have opened up my storeroom.
I have brought out the weapons I use when I am angry.
I am the Lord and King who rules over all.
I have work to do in the land of the Babylonians.
26So come against it from far away.
Open up its storerooms.
Stack everything up like piles of grain.
Completely destroy that country.
Do not leave anyone alive there.
27Kill all Babylon’s strongest warriors.
Let them die in battle.
How terrible it will be for them!
Their time to be judged has come.
Now they will be punished.
28Listen to those who have escaped.
Listen to those who have returned from Babylon.
They are announcing in Zion
how I have paid Babylon back.
I have paid it back for destroying my temple.
29“Send for men armed with bows and arrows.
Send them against Babylon.
Set up camp all around it.
Do not let anyone escape.
Pay it back for what its people have done.
Do to them what they have done to others.
They have dared to disobey me.
I am the Holy One of Israel.
30You can be sure its young men will fall dead in the streets.
All its soldiers will be put to death at that time,”
announces the Lord.
31“Proud Babylonians, I am against you,”
announces the Lord.
The Lord who rules over all says,
“Your day to be judged has come.
It is time for you to be punished.
32You proud people will trip and fall.
No one will help you up.
I will start a fire in your towns.
It will burn up everyone around you.”
33The Lord who rules over all says,
“The people of Israel are being treated badly.
So are the people of Judah.
Those who have captured them are holding them.
They refuse to let them go.
34But I am strong and will save them.
My name is the Lord Who Rules Over All.
I will stand up for them.
I will bring peace and rest to their land.
But I will bring trouble to those who live in Babylon.
35“A sword is coming against the Babylonians!”
announces the Lord.
“It is coming against those who live in Babylon.
It is coming against their officials and wise men.
36A sword is coming against their prophets.
But they are not really prophets at all!
So they will look foolish.
A sword is coming against their soldiers!
They will be filled with terror.
37A sword is coming against their horses and chariots!
It is coming against all the hired soldiers in their armies.
They will become weak.
A sword is coming against their treasures!
They will be stolen.
38There will not be any rain for their rivers.
So they will dry up.
Those things will happen because their land is full of statues of gods.
Those gods will go crazy with terror.
39“Desert creatures and hyenas will live in Babylon.
And so will owls.
People will never live there again.
It will not be lived in for all time to come.
40I destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.
I also destroyed the towns that were near them,”
announces the Lord.
“Babylon will be just like them.
No one will live there.
No human beings will stay there.
41“Look! An army is coming from the north.
I am stirring up a great nation and many kings.
They are coming from a land that is very far away.
42Their soldiers are armed with bows and spears.
They are mean.
They do not show any mercy at all.
They come riding in on their horses.
They sound like the roaring ocean.
They are lined up for battle.
They are coming to attack you, city of Babylon.
43The king of Babylon has heard reports about them.
His hands can’t help him.
He is in great pain.
It is like the pain of a woman having a baby.
44I will be like a lion coming up from the bushes by the Jordan River.
I will hunt in rich grasslands.
I will chase the people of Babylon from their land in an instant.
What nation will I choose to do this?
Which one will I appoint?
Is anyone like me? Who would dare to argue with me?
What leader can stand against me?”
45So listen to what the Lord has planned against Babylon.
Hear what he has planned against the land of the Babylonians.
Their young people will be dragged away.
Their grasslands will be shocked at their fate.
46At the news of Babylon’s capture,
the earth will shake.
The people’s cries will be heard among the nations.
Ndũmĩrĩri ĩkoniĩ Bũrũri wa Babuloni
150:1 Kĩam 10:10Ĩno nĩyo ndũmĩrĩri ĩrĩa Jehova aaririe na kanua ka Jeremia ũcio mũnabii, ũhoro ũkoniĩ Babuloni na andũ a bũrũri wa Babuloni:
250:2 Isa 46:1; Alaw 26:30“Anĩrĩrai na mũhunjanĩrie ũhoro ndũrĩrĩ-inĩ,
haandai kĩbebero na mũhunjanĩrie ũhoro wakĩo;
mũtikamahithe ũndũ, no mũmeere atĩrĩ,
‘Babuloni nĩgũgũtunyanwo;
Beli nĩĩgũconorithio,
nayo Merodaki ĩiyũrwo nĩ kĩmako.
Mĩhianano yakuo nĩĩgaconorithio,
na mĩhianano yao nĩĩkaiyũrwo nĩ guoya.’
3Tondũ rũrĩrĩ ruumĩte mwena wa gathigathini nĩrũkamũtharĩkĩra,
na rwanange bũrũri wake.
Gũtirĩ mũndũ ũgaatũũra kuo;
andũ nĩmakoora o hamwe na nyamũ.
450:4 Ezar 3:12; Hos 3:5“Matukũ-inĩ macio, na ihinda-inĩ rĩu,
andũ a Isiraeli na andũ a Juda hamwe
nĩmagathiĩ macarie Jehova Ngai wao makĩrĩraga,”
ũguo nĩguo Jehova ekuuga.
550:5 1Sam 29:1; Ahib 8:6-10“Nĩmakoorĩrĩria njĩra ya gũthiĩ Zayuni,
na magarũrũke, merekeirie mothiũ mao kuo.
Nĩmagooka meeohanie na Jehova,
na marĩkanĩre kĩrĩkanĩro gĩa gũtũũra tene na tene
kĩrĩa gĩtagacooka kũriganĩra.
650:6 Jer 3:6; Math 9:36; 10:6“Andũ akwa makoretwo marĩ ngʼondu ciũrĩte;
arĩithi ao nĩmamahĩtithĩtie njĩra,
na magatũma morũũre irĩma igũrũ.
Nao morũũrĩte kuuma kĩrĩma-inĩ nginya karĩma-inĩ,
makariganĩrwo nĩ kũrĩa ũhurũko wao ũrĩ.
7Ũrĩa wothe wamoonire akĩmatambuura; thũ ciao ikiuga atĩrĩ,
‘Ithuĩ tũtirĩ na ihĩtia, nĩ ũndũ nĩmehĩirie Jehova,
ũrĩa arĩ we ũrĩithio wao wa ma,
o we Jehova, mwĩhoko wa maithe mao.’
850:8 Isa 48:20“Mwĩtharei muume Babuloni;
eherai bũrũri wa andũ a Babuloni,
na mũtuĩke ta thenge iria itongoragia rũũru rwa mbũri.
950:9 Jer 25:14Nĩgũkorwo nĩngarahũra ũiguano wa ndũrĩrĩ nene,
ciumĩte bũrũri wa gathigathini ciũkĩrĩre Babuloni.
Nĩikarũgama handũ ha cio irĩũkĩrĩre na igũtunyane,
kuuma mwena ũcio wa gathigathini.
Mĩguĩ yao ĩgaatuĩka ta ĩrĩa ya njamba njoorua,
iria itacookaga moko matheri.
10Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Babuloni nĩgũgatahwo;
andũ othe arĩa magaagũtaha nĩmagakuua indo cia kũmaigana,”
ũguo nĩguo Jehova ekuuga.
1150:11 Isa 47:6“Tondũ nĩmũkenete na mũkarũũhia,
inyuĩ arĩa mũtahaga igai rĩakwa,
tondũ mũgũtũũha ta moori ĩkĩraanga ngano ĩkĩmĩhũũra,
na mũkaania ta mbarathi cia njamba,
12nyina wanyu nĩagaconoka mũno;
we ũcio wamũciarire nĩagaconorithio.
Nĩwe ũgaakorwo arĩ mũnini mũno ndũrĩrĩ-inĩ,
atuĩke ta werũ, na ta bũrũri mũngʼaru, o na ta werũ wa mũthanga.
1350:13 Ezek 27:36; Gũcook 29:22Tondũ wa marakara ma Jehova, bũrũri ũcio ndũgacooka gũtũũrwo nĩ andũ,
no rĩrĩ, nĩgũkira gũgaakira ihooru biũ.
Andũ arĩa othe makaagerera kũu Babuloni nĩmakamaka, na manyũrũrie kũndũ kũu
tondũ wa ũrĩa gũgaakorwo kwanangĩtwo.
14“Mwĩhaarĩrie mũthiũrũrũkĩrie Babuloni,
inyuothe arĩa mũgeetaga ũta.
Rĩrathei! Mũtigatigie mĩguĩ,
nĩgũkorwo nĩrĩĩhĩirie Jehova.
1550:15 Jer 51:14; Thab 137:8Riugĩrĩriei kuuma na mĩena yothe!
Nĩrĩĩneanĩte rĩo rĩene, mĩthiringo yarĩo nĩĩgwĩte,
na thingo ciarĩo nĩimomokete.
Nĩgũkorwo rĩĩrĩ nĩrĩo irĩhĩria rĩa Jehova-rĩ,
mwĩrĩhĩriei harĩ rĩo;
rĩĩkei o ta ũrĩa rĩaneeka andũ arĩa angĩ.
16Eheriai ũrĩa ũhaandaga kũu Babuloni,
na ũrĩa ũgethaga na rũhiũ rwake hĩndĩ ya magetha.
Tondũ wa rũhiũ rũu rwa njora rwa mũhinyanĩrĩria-rĩ,
o mũndũ nĩacooke kũrĩ andũ ao,
o mũndũ nĩorĩre bũrũri wao kĩũmbe.
1750:17 Jer 2:15; Ndar 24:8“Isiraeli ahaana ta rũũru rũhurunjũkĩte,
rũtengʼeretio nĩ mĩrũũthi.
Mũthamaki wa Ashuri
nĩwe warĩ wa mbere kũmũtambuura;
wa kũrigĩrĩria kũmũhehenja mahĩndĩ-rĩ,
aarĩ Nebukadinezaru, mũthamaki wa Babuloni.”
1850:18 Isa 10:12; Zef 2:13Nĩ ũndũ ũcio, Jehova Mwene-Hinya-Wothe, Ngai wa Isiraeli, ekuuga atĩrĩ:
“Nĩngaherithia mũthamaki wa Babuloni na bũrũri wake,
o ta ũrĩa ndaaherithirie mũthamaki wa Ashuri.
1950:19 Jer 31:5; Mik 7:14No nĩngacookia Isiraeli ũrĩithio-inĩ wake mwene,
nake akaarĩithagĩria kũu Karimeli na Bashani;
akaarĩĩaga akahũũna
kũu irima-inĩ cia Efiraimu, na cia Gileadi.
2050:20 Thab 17:3; Mik 7:18, 19Matukũ-inĩ macio, o ihinda-inĩ rĩu-rĩ,
ihĩtia rĩa Isiraeli nĩrĩgathuthuurio,
no rĩtikoneka,
o na mehia ma Juda mathuthuurio,
no matikooneka,
nĩgũkorwo matigari marĩa ngaahonokia nĩngamarekera,”
ũguo nĩguo Jehova ekuuga.
2150:21 Ezek 23:23“Tharĩkĩrai bũrũri wa Merathaimu,50:21 Merathaimu rĩgĩtaũrwo nĩ kuuga “kũremera Jehova maita meerĩ.”
mũũkĩrĩre arĩa matũũraga Pekodi.
Matengʼeriei, na mũmoorage, mũmaniine biũ,”
ũguo nĩguo Jehova ekuuga.
“Ĩkai ũrĩa wothe ndĩmwathĩte.
2250:22 Jer 4:19-21; 51:54Kũrĩ na mbugĩrĩrio ya mbaara bũrũri-inĩ ũcio,
nayo nĩ mbugĩrĩrio ya kũniinanwo kũnene!
23Nyondo ĩrĩa ĩtũũrĩte ĩhũũraga thĩ yothe-rĩ,
kaĩ nĩyunangĩtwo, ĩgathethereka-ĩ!
Kaĩ Babuloni nĩgũkirĩte ihooru gatagatĩ-inĩ ka ndũrĩrĩ-ĩ!
2450:24 Jer 51:31; Ayub 9:4Ndaakwambĩire mũtego, wee Babuloni,
nawe ũkĩgwatio nĩguo ũtekũmenya;
wakorereirwo, ũkĩnyiitwo
tondũ wa gũkararia Jehova.
2550:25 Isa 13:5Jehova nĩahingũrĩte harĩa aigaga indo ciake cia mbaara,
akaruta indo icio cia mbaara cia mangʼũrĩ make,
nĩgũkorwo Mwathani Jehova Mwene-Hinya-Wothe arĩ na wĩra wa kũruta
kũu bũrũri-inĩ wa andũ a Babuloni.
26Ũkaai mũgũtharĩkĩre muumĩte kũndũ kũraya.
Thariai makũmbĩ makuo;
gũcookanĩrĩriei irũndo ta cia hĩba cia ngano.
Kwanangei biũ,
na mũtigatigie matigari kuo.
2750:27 Thab 68:30; Ayub 18:20Ũragai tũtegwa twakuo tuothe,
tũikũrũkiei tũgathĩnjwo!
Kaĩ marĩ na haaro-ĩ! Nĩgũkorwo mũthenya watuo nĩmũkinyu,
ihinda rĩatuo rĩa kũherithio.
2850:28 Jer 51:10; 2Ath 24:13Ta thikĩrĩriai mũigue arĩa moorĩte na arĩa metharĩte makoima bũrũri wa Babuloni,
makiumbũra marĩ kũu Zayuni
ũrĩa Jehova Ngai witũ erĩhĩirie,
akerĩhĩria nĩ ũndũ wa hekarũ yake.
2950:29 Kũg 18:6; Ezek 35:11“Ĩtai aikia a mĩguĩ mokĩrĩre Babuloni,
o arĩa othe mageetaga ũta.
Ambaai hema mũgũthiũrũrũkĩirie;
mũtikareke mũndũ o na ũmwe warĩo oore.
Rĩrĩhei kũringana na ciĩko ciarĩo;
o ta ũrĩa rĩaneeka andũ angĩ-rĩ, rĩĩkei o ta guo.
Nĩgũkorwo nĩrĩngʼathĩirie Jehova,
o we Ũrĩa Mũtheru wa Isiraeli.
30Nĩ ũndũ ũcio, aanake aarĩo nĩmakaagũa njĩra-inĩ cia itũũra;
thigari ciarĩo ciothe nĩigakirio ki mũthenya ũcio,”
ũguo nĩguo Jehova ekuuga.
31“Atĩrĩrĩ, nĩngũũkĩrĩire, wee mwĩtĩĩi ũyũ,
nĩgũkorwo mũthenya waku nĩmũkinyu,
o rĩo ihinda rĩaku rĩa kũherithio,”
ũguo nĩguo Mwathani, o we Jehova-Mwene-Hinya-Wothe, ekuuga.
3250:32 Thab 119:21; Jer 49:27“Mwĩtĩĩi ũcio nĩakahĩngwo agwe,
na gũtirĩ mũndũ ũkaamũũkĩria;
nĩngagwatia matũũra makuo mwaki,
naguo nĩũgaacina arĩa othe mamũrigiicĩirie, maniinwo biũ.”
33Jehova Mwene-Hinya-Wothe ekuuga atĩrĩ,
“Andũ a Isiraeli nĩmahinyĩrĩirio,
o ũndũ ũmwe na andũ a Juda.
Arĩa othe maamatahire nĩmamarũmĩtie mũno,
makarega kũmarekia mathiĩ.
3450:34 Thaam 6:6; Maca 3:58No rĩrĩ, Mũkũũri wao arĩ na hinya;
Jehova Mwene-Hinya-Wothe nĩrĩo rĩĩtwa rĩake.
Nĩakamarũĩrĩra na kĩyo ciira-inĩ wao,
nĩguo atũme bũrũri wao ũgĩe na ũhurũko,
no aagithie arĩa matũũraga Babuloni ũhurũko.”
3550:35 Isa 45:1; Dan 5:7Jehova ekuuga atĩrĩ:
“Harĩ na rũhiũ rwa njora rwa gũũkĩrĩra andũ a Babuloni,
rũũkĩrĩre arĩa matũũraga Babuloni,
na rũũkĩrĩre anene na andũ arĩa ogĩ akuo!
36Rũhiũ rwa njora rũgookĩrĩra anabii akuo a maheeni,
nao matuĩke irimũ.
Ningĩ rũhiũ rwa njora nĩrũgookĩrĩra njamba ciakuo iria irĩ hinya,
nacio nĩikaiyũrwo nĩ kĩmako kĩnene.
3750:37 2Ath 19:23; Isa 45:3Rũhiũ rwa njora rũgookĩrĩra mbarathi, na ngaari cia ita,
na andũ a ndũrĩrĩ arĩa marĩ ita-inĩ rĩake,
nao matuĩke ta andũ-a-nja.
Ningĩ rũhiũ rwa njora nĩrũgookĩrĩra indo ciao iria cia bata ciigĩtwo igĩĩna-inĩ ciao,
nacio nĩigatahwo.
3850:38 Jer 51:36Nĩgũkaara riũa rĩa kũhũithia maaĩ makuo!
Namo nĩmakaahũa biũ.
Nĩgũkorwo ũcio nĩ bũrũri ũiyũrĩte ngai cia mĩhianano,
nao andũ akuo nĩmagũrũkĩtio nĩyo.
3950:39 Isa 13:19-22; 34:13-15; Kũg 18:2“Nĩ ũndũ ũcio nyamũ cia werũ-inĩ na hiti nĩcio igaatũũraga Babuloni,
na kũu no kuo gũgaatũũrwo nĩ ndundu.
Gũtigacooka gũtũũrwo nĩ andũ
o na kana gũikarwo nĩ andũ, nginya njiarwa na njiarwa.
4050:40 Kĩam 19:24O ta ũrĩa Ngai aangʼaũranirie Sodomu, na Gomora,
o hamwe na matũũra marĩa maariganĩtie namo-rĩ,
ũguo noguo gũtarĩ mũndũ ũgaatũũra kuo;
gũtirĩ mũndũ ũgaikara kuo,”
ũguo nĩguo Jehova ekuuga.
41“Atĩrĩrĩ, mbũtũ ya ita nĩ ĩrooka yumĩte mwena wa gathigathini;
rũrĩrĩ rũnene, na athamaki aingĩ
nĩmarahũrĩtwo kuuma ituri-inĩ cia thĩ.
4250:42 Isa 13:18; Ayub 30:21Marooka marĩ na mota na matimũ mao;
nao nĩ andũ ooru, na matarĩ tha.
Mũrurumo wao nĩ ta mũrurumo wa ndiihũ cia maaĩ ma iria,
magĩũka mahaicĩte mbarathi ciao;
mokĩte meyarĩire wega mbaara-inĩ
nĩguo magũtharĩkĩre, wee Mwarĩ ũyũ wa Babuloni.
43Mũthamaki wa Babuloni nĩaiguĩte ũhoro wao,
namo moko make makoorwo nĩ hinya.
Nĩanyiitĩtwo nĩ ruo rũnene ngoro-inĩ yake,
na ruo ta rwa mũndũ-wa-nja akĩrũmwo.
4450:44 Ndar 16:5; Ayub 41:10O ta mũrũũthi ũũkĩte kuuma ihinga-inĩ cia Jorodani
ũgakinya ũrĩithio-inĩ ũrĩa mũnoru-rĩ,
ũguo noguo ngaingata Babuloni, oime bũrũri-inĩ wake o rĩmwe.
Nũũ ũcio ũthuurĩtwo wĩra ũcio nĩgeetha ndĩmũtue wa kũũrũgamĩrĩra?
Nũũ ũngĩ ũhaana ta niĩ, ningĩ-rĩ, nũũ ũngĩhota kũngararia?
Ningĩ nĩ mũrĩithi ũrĩkũ ũngĩhota kũregana na niĩ?”
4550:45 Jer 51:11Nĩ ũndũ ũcio, thikĩrĩriai mũigue ũndũ ũrĩa Jehova athugundĩte
wa gũũkĩrĩra bũrũri wa Babuloni,
o na ũrĩa atuĩte gwĩka bũrũri wa andũ a Babuloni:
Arĩa anini rũũru-inĩ magaakururio, matwarwo kũndũ kũraya;
nĩakananga ũrĩithio wao ũthire biũ nĩ ũndũ wao.
46Mũrurumo wa Babuloni gũgĩtahwo nĩũgathingithia thĩ;
kayũ ga kĩrĩro gĩakuo nĩgakaiguuo ndũrĩrĩ-inĩ.
