Weeping When Babylon Falls
1After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority. His glory filled the earth with light. 2With a mighty voice he shouted,
“ ‘Fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen!’ (Isaiah 21:9)
She has become a place where demons live.
She has become a den for every evil spirit.
She has become a place where every ‘unclean’ bird is found.
She has become a place where every ‘unclean’ and hated animal is found.
3All the nations have drunk
the strong wine of her terrible sins.
The kings of the earth took part in her evil ways.
The traders of the world grew rich from her great wealth.”
Warning to Run From Babylon’s Judgment
4Then I heard another voice from heaven. It said,
“ ‘Come out of her, my people.’ (Jeremiah 51:45)
Then you will not take part in her sins.
You will not suffer from any of her plagues.
5Her sins are piled up to heaven.
God has remembered her crimes.
6Do to her as she has done to others.
Pay her back double for what she has done.
Pour her a double dose of what she has poured for others.
7Give her as much pain and suffering
as the glory and wealth she gave herself.
She brags to herself,
‘I rule on a throne like a queen.
I am not a widow.
I will never mourn.’ (Isaiah 47:7,8)
8But she will be plagued by death, sadness and hunger.
In a single day she will suffer all these plagues.
She will be burned up by fire.
That’s because the Lord God who judges her is mighty.
How Terrible When Babylon Falls!
9“The kings of the earth who committed terrible sins with her will weep. They will mourn because they used to share her riches. They will see the smoke rising as she burns. 10They will be terrified by her suffering. They will stand far away from her. And they will cry out,
“ ‘How terrible! How terrible it is for you, great city!
How terrible for you, mighty city of Babylon!
In just one hour you have been destroyed!’
11“The traders of the world will weep and mourn over her. No one buys what they sell anymore. 12Here is what they had for sale.
“Gold, silver, jewels, pearls.
Fine linen, purple, silk, bright red cloth.
Every kind of citron wood.
All sorts of things made out of ivory, valuable wood, bronze, iron, marble.
13Cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense.
Wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat.
Cattle, sheep, horses, carriages, and human beings sold as slaves.
14“The merchants will say, ‘The pleasure you longed for has left you. All your riches and glory have disappeared forever.’ 15The traders who sold these things became rich because of Babylon. When she suffers, they will stand far away. Her suffering will terrify them. They will weep and mourn. 16They will cry out,
“ ‘How terrible! How terrible it is for you, great city,
dressed in fine linen, purple and bright red!
How terrible for you, great city, gleaming with gold, jewels and pearls!
17In just one hour your great wealth has been destroyed!’
“Every sea captain and all who travel by ship will stand far away. So will the sailors and all who earn their living from the sea. 18They will see the smoke rising as Babylon burns. They will ask, ‘Was there ever a city like this great city?’ 19They will throw dust on their heads. They will weep and mourn. They will cry out,
“ ‘How terrible! How terrible it is for you, great city!
All who had ships on the sea
became rich because of her wealth!
In just one hour she has been destroyed!’
20“You heavens, be glad for this!
You people of God, be glad!
You apostles and prophets, be glad!
God has judged her
with the judgment she gave to you.”
Babylon’s Judgment Is Final
21Then a mighty angel picked up a huge rock. It was the size of a large millstone. He threw it into the sea. Then he said,
“That is how
the great city of Babylon will be thrown down.
Never again will it be found.
22The songs of musicians will never be heard in you again.
Gone will be the music of harps, flutes and trumpets.
No worker of any kind
will ever be found in you again.
The sound of a millstone
will never be heard in you again.
23The light of a lamp
will never shine in you again.
The voices of brides and grooms
will never be heard in you again.
Your traders were among the world’s most important people.
By your magic spell all the nations were led astray.
24You were guilty of the murder of prophets and God’s holy people.
You were guilty of the blood of all who have been killed on the earth.”
Kũgũa kwa Babuloni
118:1 Kũg 17:1; Ezek 43:2Thuutha wa maũndũ macio nĩndonire mũraika ũngĩ agĩikũrũka oimĩte igũrũ arĩ na ũhoti mũnene mũno, nayo thĩ ĩkĩarĩrwo nĩ ũkengi wake. 218:2 Isa 13:21, 22; Jer 50:39Nake akĩanĩrĩra na mũgambo mũnene, akiuga atĩrĩ:
“Nĩrĩgũu! Babuloni itũũra rĩrĩa inene-rĩ, nĩrĩgwĩte!
Nĩrĩtuĩkĩte gĩikaro kĩa ndaimono,
na rĩgatuĩka gĩtũũro gĩa gũthaakĩrwo nĩ ngoma o yothe thũku,
rĩgatuĩka gĩtũũro kĩa nyoni ciothe iria irĩ thaahu na thũũre.
318:3 Kũg 14:8; Ezek 27:9-25Nĩgũkorwo ndũrĩrĩ ciothe nĩinyuĩte
ndibei ĩrĩa ya maũndũ mooru ya ũtharia wake.
Nao athamaki a thĩ nĩmatharirie nake,
nao onjorithia a thĩ magĩtongio nĩ mũtũũrĩre wake wa mĩago mĩkĩru.”
418:4 Jer 50:8; 2Akor 6:17Ningĩ ngĩigua mũgambo ũngĩ uumĩte igũrũ ũkiuga atĩrĩ:
“Inyuĩ andũ akwa, umai kũrĩ we,
nĩgeetha mũtikagwatanĩre na mehia make,
na nĩguo mũtikae kwamũkĩra mĩthiro yake;
5nĩgũkorwo mehia make nĩmeiganĩrĩire magakinya o igũrũ,
nake Ngai nĩaririkanĩte mawaganu make.
618:6 Thab 137:8; Jer 50:15, 29; Isa 40:2Mũheei o ta ũrĩa araheanaga;
mũrĩhei maita meerĩ ma ũrĩa ekĩte.
Gĩkombe kĩrĩa aramũringagĩria-rĩ, mũringĩriei kĩo maita meerĩ.
718:7 Ezek 28:2-8; Zef 2:15Mũnyamariei, na mũmũhe kĩeha
kĩiganaine na mwĩgaatho na mwĩĩkĩrĩro wake.
Ngoro-inĩ yake erahaga, akoiga atĩrĩ,
‘Niĩ njikaraga ta mũthamaki-mũndũ-wa-nja;
ndirĩ mũtumia wa ndigwa, na ndirĩ hĩndĩ ngaacakaya.’
818:8 Isa 9:14; Kũg 17:16Nĩ ũndũ ũcio, mĩthiro yake nĩĩkamũkinyĩrĩra mũthenya o ro ũmwe:
nayo nĩ gĩkuũ, na macakaya, o na ngʼaragu.
Agaacinwo na mwaki,
nĩgũkorwo Mwathani Ngai ũrĩa ũmũtuĩrĩire ciira arĩ hinya.
918:9 Kũg 19:3; Jer 51:8“Rĩrĩa athamaki a thĩ arĩa maatharagia nake na makagwatanĩra nake mĩago-inĩ yake makoona ndogo yake akĩhĩa-rĩ, nĩmakamũrĩrĩra na mamũcakaĩre. 10Nao makaarũgama haraaya nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtigĩra kĩnyariirĩko gĩake, nao marĩre, makiugaga atĩrĩ:
“ ‘Ĩiya-ĩ! Ĩiya-ĩ, wee itũũra inene,
wee Babuloni, itũũra rĩa hinya!
Ituĩro rĩaku rĩrĩ gũkinya ithaa-inĩ o rĩmwe!’
1118:11 Ezek 27:27; Ezek 27:31“Onjoria a thĩ nĩmakamũrĩrĩra na mamũcakaĩre, tondũ gũtirĩ mũndũ ũgaacooka kũgũra indo ciao rĩngĩ: 1218:12 Ezek 27:12-22; Kũg 17:4indo cia thahabu, na betha, na mahiga ma goro, na ruru; ningĩ mataama ma gatani ĩrĩa njega, na marĩa ma rangi wa ndathi, na marĩa ma hariri, na mataama marĩa matune ta gakarakũ; ningĩ mĩthemba yothe ya mĩtĩ ĩrĩa mĩnungi wega, na indo cia mĩthemba yothe iria ithondeketwo na mĩguongo, na mbaũ cia goro, na gĩcango, na kĩgera, na mahiga mathaka ma nyaigĩ; 1318:13 Ezek 27:13; 1Tim 1:10ningĩ mĩrigo ya ndarathini na iriki, na ya ũbumba, na maguta marĩa manungi wega, na ũbani, na ya ndibei na maguta ma ndamaiyũ, na ya mũtu ũrĩa mũhinyu mũno, o na ngano; ningĩ ngʼombe na ngʼondu; o na mbarathi na makaari; nginya ngombo o na mĩoyo ya andũ o nayo.
14“Nao nĩmakoiga atĩrĩ, ‘Itunda rĩrĩa weriragĩria nĩrĩkwehereire. Ũtonga waku wothe o na ũkengi waku nĩithirĩte, na gũtirĩ hĩndĩ igaacooka kuoneka o na rĩ.’ 15Onjoria arĩa meendagia indo icio na magĩtonga kuuma kũrĩ we-rĩ, makaarũgama o haraaya nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtigĩra kĩnyariirĩko gĩake. Nĩmakarĩra, na macakae, 1618:16 Kũg 17:4na maanĩrĩre, moige atĩrĩ:
“ ‘Ĩiya-ĩ! Ĩiya-ĩ! Wee itũũra inene,
wee wĩhumbĩte nguo cia taama wa gatani ĩrĩa njega,
na cia rangi wa ndathi, na cia rangi mũtune ta gakarakũ,
na ũkegemia na thahabu, na tũhiga twa goro, o na ruru!
1718:17 Ezek 27:28-30; Kũg 18:10-15Ũtonga ũcio mũnene ũguo nĩwanangwo ithaa-inĩ o rĩmwe!’
“Anene othe a marikabu cia iria-inĩ, na arĩa othe mathiiaga na marikabu, atwarithia a marikabu, na arĩa othe marutaga wĩra kũu iria-inĩ rĩrĩa inene, makaarũgama o haraaya. 18Rĩrĩa makoona ndogo ya itũũra rĩu rĩkĩhĩa-rĩ, nĩmakanĩrĩra moige atĩrĩ, ‘Kũrĩ kwagĩa itũũra rĩngĩ inene ta itũũra rĩĩrĩ?’ 1918:19 Josh 7:6; Maca 2:10Nao nĩmakehurĩria rũkũngũ mĩtwe o makĩrĩraga na magĩcakayaga, na makae, makiugaga atĩrĩ:
“ ‘Ĩiya-ĩ! Ĩiya-ĩ, Wee itũũra inene,
kũrĩa arĩa othe ene marikabu cia iria-inĩ inene maatongeire nĩ ũndũ wa ũtonga warĩo!
Nĩrĩanangwo ithaa-inĩ o rĩmwe!
2018:20 Jer 51:48; Kũg 19:2Rĩkenerere, wee igũrũ!
Kenai inyuĩ andũ arĩa aamũre, na inyuĩ atũmwo, o na inyuĩ anabii!
Ngai nĩarĩtuĩrĩire ciira nĩ ũndũ wa ũrĩa rĩamwĩkire.’ ”
2118:21 Jer 51:63; Kũg 17:18Ningĩ mũraika ũrĩ hinya akĩoya ihiga rĩaiganaga ta ihiga inene rĩa gĩthĩi, akĩrĩikia thĩinĩ wa iria rĩrĩa inene, akiuga atĩrĩ:
“Ũguo nĩguo itũũra rĩu inene rĩa Babuloni
rĩgaatengemanio thĩ na hinya,
narĩo rĩage gũcooka kuoneka o na rĩ.
2218:22 Ezek 26:13; Jer 25:10Nacio nyĩmbo cia ahũũri inanda cia mũgeeto na aini,
na ahuhi a mĩtũrirũ, na ahuhi a coro,
matigacooka kũiguuo thĩinĩ waku o na rĩ.
Gũtirĩ mũruti wa wĩra wa mũthemba o wothe
ũgacooka kuoneka thĩinĩ waku o rĩ.
Mũgambo wa ihiga rĩa gĩthĩi
ndũrĩ hĩndĩ ũgaacooka kũiguuo thĩinĩ waku.
2318:23 Jer 7:34; Isa 23:8Gũtirĩ hĩndĩ ũtheri wa tawa
ũgacooka kwara thĩinĩ waku o na rĩ.
O naguo mũgambo wa mũhikania na wa mũhiki
ndũrĩ hĩndĩ ũgaacooka kũiguuo thĩinĩ waku o na rĩ.
Onjoria aku nĩo maarĩ andũ marĩ igweta gũkũ thĩ.
Nacio ndũrĩrĩ ciothe ciahĩtithirio nĩ ũragũri waku.
2418:24 Kũg 17:6Thĩinĩ wake nĩkuo gwakorirwo thakame ya anabii, na ya andũ arĩa aamũre,
o na ya arĩa othe manooragĩrwo gũkũ thĩ.”
