A Message About Babylon
1This is the word the Lord spoke through Jeremiah the prophet concerning Babylon and the land of the Babylonians50:1 Or Chaldeans; also in verses 8, 25, 35 and 45:
2“Announce and proclaim among the nations,
lift up a banner and proclaim it;
keep nothing back, but say,
‘Babylon will be captured;
Bel will be put to shame,
Marduk filled with terror.
Her images will be put to shame
and her idols filled with terror.’
3A nation from the north will attack her
and lay waste her land.
No one will live in it;
both people and animals will flee away.
4“In those days, at that time,”
declares the Lord,
“the people of Israel and the people of Judah together
will go in tears to seek the Lord their God.
5They will ask the way to Zion
and turn their faces toward it.
They will come and bind themselves to the Lord
in an everlasting covenant
that will not be forgotten.
6“My people have been lost sheep;
their shepherds have led them astray
and caused them to roam on the mountains.
They wandered over mountain and hill
and forgot their own resting place.
7Whoever found them devoured them;
their enemies said, ‘We are not guilty,
for they sinned against the Lord, their verdant pasture,
the Lord, the hope of their ancestors.’
8“Flee out of Babylon;
leave the land of the Babylonians,
and be like the goats that lead the flock.
9For I will stir up and bring against Babylon
an alliance of great nations from the land of the north.
They will take up their positions against her,
and from the north she will be captured.
Their arrows will be like skilled warriors
who do not return empty-handed.
10So Babylonia50:10 Or Chaldea will be plundered;
all who plunder her will have their fill,”
declares the Lord.
11“Because you rejoice and are glad,
you who pillage my inheritance,
because you frolic like a heifer threshing grain
and neigh like stallions,
12your mother will be greatly ashamed;
she who gave you birth will be disgraced.
She will be the least of the nations—
a wilderness, a dry land, a desert.
13Because of the Lord’s anger she will not be inhabited
but will be completely desolate.
All who pass Babylon will be appalled;
they will scoff because of all her wounds.
14“Take up your positions around Babylon,
all you who draw the bow.
Shoot at her! Spare no arrows,
for she has sinned against the Lord.
15Shout against her on every side!
She surrenders, her towers fall,
her walls are torn down.
Since this is the vengeance of the Lord,
take vengeance on her;
do to her as she has done to others.
16Cut off from Babylon the sower,
and the reaper with his sickle at harvest.
Because of the sword of the oppressor
let everyone return to their own people,
let everyone flee to their own land.
17“Israel is a scattered flock
that lions have chased away.
The first to devour them
was the king of Assyria;
the last to crush their bones
was Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.”
18Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says:
“I will punish the king of Babylon and his land
as I punished the king of Assyria.
19But I will bring Israel back to their own pasture,
and they will graze on Carmel and Bashan;
their appetite will be satisfied
on the hills of Ephraim and Gilead.
20In those days, at that time,”
declares the Lord,
“search will be made for Israel’s guilt,
but there will be none,
and for the sins of Judah,
but none will be found,
for I will forgive the remnant I spare.
21“Attack the land of Merathaim
and those who live in Pekod.
Pursue, kill and completely destroy50:21 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them; also in verse 26. them,”
declares the Lord.
“Do everything I have commanded you.
22The noise of battle is in the land,
the noise of great destruction!
23How broken and shattered
is the hammer of the whole earth!
How desolate is Babylon
among the nations!
24I set a trap for you, Babylon,
and you were caught before you knew it;
you were found and captured
because you opposed the Lord.
25The Lord has opened his arsenal
and brought out the weapons of his wrath,
for the Sovereign Lord Almighty has work to do
in the land of the Babylonians.
26Come against her from afar.
Break open her granaries;
pile her up like heaps of grain.
Completely destroy her
and leave her no remnant.
27Kill all her young bulls;
let them go down to the slaughter!
Woe to them! For their day has come,
the time for them to be punished.
28Listen to the fugitives and refugees from Babylon
declaring in Zion
how the Lord our God has taken vengeance,
vengeance for his temple.
29“Summon archers against Babylon,
all those who draw the bow.
Encamp all around her;
let no one escape.
Repay her for her deeds;
do to her as she has done.
For she has defied the Lord,
the Holy One of Israel.
30Therefore, her young men will fall in the streets;
all her soldiers will be silenced in that day,”
declares the Lord.
31“See, I am against you, you arrogant one,”
declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty,
“for your day has come,
the time for you to be punished.
32The arrogant one will stumble and fall
and no one will help her up;
I will kindle a fire in her towns
that will consume all who are around her.”
33This is what the Lord Almighty says:
“The people of Israel are oppressed,
and the people of Judah as well.
All their captors hold them fast,
refusing to let them go.
34Yet their Redeemer is strong;
the Lord Almighty is his name.
He will vigorously defend their cause
so that he may bring rest to their land,
but unrest to those who live in Babylon.
35“A sword against the Babylonians!”
declares the Lord—
“against those who live in Babylon
and against her officials and wise men!
36A sword against her false prophets!
They will become fools.
A sword against her warriors!
They will be filled with terror.
37A sword against her horses and chariots
and all the foreigners in her ranks!
They will become weaklings.
A sword against her treasures!
They will be plundered.
38A drought on50:38 Or A sword against her waters!
They will dry up.
For it is a land of idols,
idols that will go mad with terror.
39“So desert creatures and hyenas will live there,
and there the owl will dwell.
It will never again be inhabited
or lived in from generation to generation.
40As I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah
along with their neighboring towns,”
declares the Lord,
“so no one will live there;
no people will dwell in it.
41“Look! An army is coming from the north;
a great nation and many kings
are being stirred up from the ends of the earth.
42They are armed with bows and spears;
they are cruel and without mercy.
They sound like the roaring sea
as they ride on their horses;
they come like men in battle formation
to attack you, Daughter Babylon.
43The king of Babylon has heard reports about them,
and his hands hang limp.
Anguish has gripped him,
pain like that of a woman in labor.
44Like a lion coming up from Jordan’s thickets
to a rich pastureland,
I will chase Babylon from its land in an instant.
Who is the chosen one I will appoint for this?
Who is like me and who can challenge me?
And what shepherd can stand against me?”
45Therefore, hear what the Lord has planned against Babylon,
what he has purposed against the land of the Babylonians:
The young of the flock will be dragged away;
their pasture will be appalled at their fate.
46At the sound of Babylon’s capture the earth will tremble;
its cry will resound among the nations.
Àsọtẹ́lẹ̀ ní ti Babeli
150.1–51.64: Isa 13.1–14.23; 47.1-15; Hk 1–2.Èyí ni ọ̀rọ̀ tí Ọlọ́run fi sẹ́nu wòlíì Jeremiah láti sọ fún ará ilẹ̀ Babeli:
2“Ẹ sọ ọ́ láàrín àwọn orílẹ̀-èdè, ẹ sì kéde,
kí ẹ sì gbé àsíá sókè, ẹ kéde rẹ̀
ẹ má sì ṣe bò ó, wí pé,
‘a kó Babeli,
ojú tí Beli,
a fọ́ Merodaki túútúú,
ojú ti àwọn ère rẹ̀,
a fọ́ àwọn òrìṣà rẹ̀ túútúú.’
3Àwọn ìlú ní apá àríwá yóò
sì máa gbóguntì wọ́n.
Gbogbo àwọn ènìyàn àti ẹranko ni yóò
sá kúrò ní ìlú yìí.
4“Ní ọjọ́ wọ̀nyí àti ní àkókò náà,”
ni Olúwa wí,
“Àwọn ọmọ Israẹli yóò jùmọ̀ wá,
àwọn, àti àwọn ọmọ Juda,
wọn yóò lọ pẹ̀lú ẹkún láti ṣàfẹ́rí
Olúwa Ọlọ́run wọn
5Wọn ó máa béèrè ọ̀nà Sioni, ojú wọn
yóò sì yí síhà ibẹ̀, wí pé ẹ wá, ẹ jẹ́ kí a
darapọ̀ mọ́ Olúwa ní májẹ̀mú ayérayé,
tí a kì yóò gbàgbé.
6“Àwọn ènìyàn mi ti jẹ́ àgùntàn tí ó sọnù,
àwọn olùṣọ́-àgùntàn wọn ti jẹ́ kí wọn ṣìnà,
wọ́n ti jẹ́ kí wọn rìn lórí òkè
wọ́n ti lọ láti orí òkè ńlá dé òkè kékeré,
wọn ti gbàgbé ibùsùn wọn.
7Gbogbo àwọn tí ó rí wọn, ti pa wọ́n jẹ
àwọn ọ̀tá wọ́n sì wí pé, ‘Àwa kò jẹ̀bi
nítorí pé wọ́n ti ṣẹ̀ sí Olúwa ibùgbé
òdodo àti ìrètí àwọn baba wọn.’
8“Jáde kúrò ní Babeli,
ẹ fi ilẹ̀ àwọn ará Kaldea sílẹ̀,
kí ẹ sì jẹ́ bí òbúkọ níwájú agbo ẹran.
9Nítorí pé èmi yóò ru,
bẹ́ẹ̀ ni èmi yóò gbé sókè sí Babeli àwọn orílẹ̀-èdè
ńlá láti ilẹ̀ àríwá. Wọn yóò gba àyà wọn lẹ́gbẹ́ rẹ̀;
Láti àríwá wá, à ó sì mú ọ. Ọfà wọn yóò
dàbí ọfà àwọn akọni akíkanjú tí wọn kì í wà lọ́wọ́ òfo
10A ó dààmú Babeli, gbogbo
àwọn tó dààmú rẹ yóò sì mú
ìfẹ́ wọn ṣẹ,”
ni Olúwa wí.
11“Nítorí pé inú yín dùn nítorí pé ẹ̀yìn yọ̀,
ẹ̀yìn olè tí ó jí ìní mi, nítorí tí ẹ̀yìn
fi ayọ̀ fò bí ẹgbọrọ abo màlúù sí koríko tútù,
ẹ sì ń yan bí akọ ẹṣin.
12Ojú yóò ti ìyá rẹ, ẹni tí ó bí ọ
yóò sì gba ìtìjú.
Òun ni yóò jẹ́ kékeré jù nínú àwọn orílẹ̀-èdè,
ilẹ̀ aṣálẹ̀ àti aginjù tí kò lọ́ràá.
13Nítorí ìbínú Olúwa, kì yóò ní olùgbé;
ẹnikẹ́ni kò sì ní gbé inú rẹ̀.
Gbogbo àwọn tí ó bá kọjá ni Babeli yóò
fi ṣe yẹ̀yẹ́ nítorí ọgbẹ́ rẹ̀.
14“Dúró sí ààyè rẹ ìwọ Babeli
àti gbogbo ẹ̀yin tí ẹ n ta ọfà náà.
Ẹ ta ọfà náà sí i, nítorí ó ti ṣẹ̀ sí Olúwa.
15Kígbe mọ-ọn ní gbogbo ọ̀nà!
Ó tẹríba, òpó rẹ̀ sì yẹ̀,
níwọ̀n ìgbà tí ó ti jẹ́ wí pé èyí ni ìgbẹ̀san Olúwa,
gbẹ̀san lára rẹ̀.
Ṣe sí i gẹ́gẹ́ bí ó ti ṣe sí àwọn ẹlòmíràn.
16Ké afúnrúgbìn kúrò ní Babeli,
àti ẹni tí ń di dòjé mú ní igà ìkórè!
Nítorí idà àwọn aninilára
jẹ́ kí oníkálùkù padà sí ọ̀dọ̀ àwọn ènìyàn rẹ̀,
kí oníkálùkù sì sá padà sí ilẹ̀ rẹ̀.
17“Israẹli jẹ́ àgùntàn tí ó ṣìnà kiri,
kìnnìún sì ti lé e lọ.
Níṣàájú ọba Asiria pa á jẹ,
àti níkẹyìn yìí Nebukadnessari ọba Babeli
fa egungun rẹ̀ ya.”
18Nítorí náà, èyí ni ohun tí Olúwa Ọlọ́run Alágbára, Ọlọ́run Israẹli wí;
“Ǹ ó fi ìyà jẹ ọba Babeli àti ilẹ̀ rẹ̀
gẹ́gẹ́ bí mo ti ṣe fìyà jẹ ọba, Asiria.
19Ṣùgbọ́n, èmi yóò mú Israẹli
padà wá pápá oko tútù rẹ̀
òun yóò sì máa bọ́ ara rẹ̀ lórí Karmeli àti Baṣani,
a ó sì tẹ́ ọkàn rẹ̀ lọ́rùn ní òkè
Efraimu àti ní Gileadi
20Ní ọjọ́ wọ̀n-ọn-nì,”
ni Olúwa wí,
“À ó wá àìṣedéédéé ẹ̀ṣẹ̀ Israẹli,
ṣùgbọ́n a ki yóò rí ohun;
àti ẹ̀ṣẹ̀ Juda ni a ki yóò sì rí mọ kankan
nítorí èmi yóò dáríjì àwọn tí ó ṣẹ́kù tí mo dá sí.
21“Kọlu ilẹ̀ Merataimu àti àwọn
tí ó ń gbé ní Pekodi.
Lépa rẹ pa, kí o sì parun pátápátá,”
ni Olúwa wí
“Ṣe gbogbo ohun tí mo pàṣẹ fún ọ.
22Ariwo ogun wà ní ilẹ̀ náà
ìrọ́kẹ̀kẹ̀ ìparun ńlá.
23Báwo ni ó ṣe fọ́, tí ó sì pín yẹ́lẹyẹ̀lẹ tó,
lọ́wọ́ òòlù gbogbo ayé!
Báwo ní Babeli ti di ahoro
ni àárín àwọn orílẹ̀-èdè.
24Mo dẹ pàkúté sílẹ̀
fún ọ ìwọ Babeli,
kí o sì tó mọ ohun tí ó ń ṣẹlẹ̀,
o ti kó sínú rẹ̀. A mú ọ nítorí pé o tako Olúwa.
25Olúwa ti kó àwọn ohun èlò ìjà rẹ̀ jáde,
nítorí pé Olúwa Ọlọ́run àwọn ọmọ-ogun
ti ṣiṣẹ́ ní ilẹ̀ Babeli.
26Ẹ wá sórí rẹ̀ láti òpin gbogbo,
sí ilé ìṣúra rẹ̀ sílẹ̀,
ẹ kó o jọ bí òkìtì ọkà,
Kí ẹ sì yà á sọ́tọ̀ fún ìparun,
ẹ má ṣe fí yòókù sílẹ̀ fún un.
27Pa gbogbo àwọn akọ màlúù rẹ,
jẹ́ kí a kó wọn lọ ibi tí a ó ti pa wọ́n!
Ègbé ní fún wọn! Nítorí ọjọ́ wọn dé,
àkókò ìbẹ̀wò wọn.
28Gbọ́ ohùn àwọn tí ó sálọ, tí ó sì sálà láti Babeli wá,
sì sọ ní Sioni,
bí Olúwa Ọlọ́run wa ti gbẹ̀san,
ẹ̀san fún tẹmpili rẹ̀.
29“Pe ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ ènìyàn, àní gbogbo tafàtafà, sórí Babeli,
ẹ dó tí ì yíkákiri, ma jẹ́ ki ẹnikẹ́ni sálà.
Sán fún un gẹ́gẹ́ bí iṣẹ́ rẹ̀
gẹ́gẹ́ bi gbogbo èyí tí ó ti ṣe,
ẹ ṣe bẹ́ẹ̀ sí i, nítorí tí ó ti gbéraga
sí Olúwa, sí Ẹni Mímọ́ Israẹli.
30Nítorí náà, àwọn ọmọkùnrin rẹ̀
yóò ṣubú ní ìgboro, a ó sì pa àwọn
ológun lẹ́nu mọ́,”
ní Olúwa wí.
31“Wò ó, èmi yóò dojú kọ ọ́ ìwọ agbéraga,”
ni Olúwa, Olúwa àwọn ọmọ-ogun wí,
“nítorí ọjọ́ rẹ ti dé,
àkókò tí èmi ó bẹ̀ ọ wò.
32Onígbèéraga yóò kọsẹ̀, yóò
sì ṣubú, kì yóò sì ṣí ẹni tí yóò gbé dìde.
Èmi yóò tan iná ní ìlú náà,
èyí tí yóò sì jo run.”
33Èyí ni ohun tí Olúwa àwọn ọmọ-ogun sọ:
“A pọ́n àwọn ènìyàn Israẹli
lójú àti àwọn ènìyàn Juda pẹ̀lú.
Gbogbo àwọn tí ó kó wọn
nígbèkùn dì wọn mú ṣinṣin
wọn kò sì jẹ́ kí ó sá àsálà.
34Síbẹ̀, Olùràpadà wọn, Alágbára,
Olúwa Ọlọ́run Alágbára ni orúkọ rẹ̀.
Yóò sì gbe ìjà wọn jà,
kí ó ba à lè mú wọn wá sinmi ní ilẹ̀ náà;
ṣùgbọ́n kò sí ìsinmi fún àwọn tí ó ń gbé Babeli.
35“Idà lórí àwọn Babeli!”
ni Olúwa wí,
“lòdì sí àwọn tó ń gbé ní Babeli,
àwọn aláṣẹ àti àwọn amòye ọkùnrin.
36Idà lórí àwọn wòlíì èké
wọn yóò di òmùgọ̀! Idà lórí àwọn jagunjagun,
wọn yóò sì kún fún ẹ̀rù.
37Idà lórí àwọn kẹ̀kẹ́-ẹṣin rẹ̀
àti àwọn àjèjì nínú ẹgbẹ́ rẹ̀.
Wọn yóò di obìnrin.
Idà lórí àwọn ohun ìṣúra rẹ̀!
38Ilẹ̀ gbígbẹ lórí omi rẹ̀; yóò sì gbẹ.
Nítorí pé ó jẹ́ ilẹ̀ àwọn ère,
àwọn ère tí yóò ya òmùgọ̀ pẹ̀lú ẹ̀rù.
39“Nítorí náà àwọn ẹranko ijù
pẹ̀lú ọ̀wàwà ni yóò máa gbé ibẹ̀,
abo ògòǹgò yóò sì máa gbé inú rẹ̀,
a kì yóò sì gbé inú rẹ̀ mọ́, láéláé,
bẹ́ẹ̀ ni a kì yóò ṣàtìpó nínú rẹ̀ láti ìrandíran.
40Gẹ́gẹ́ bí Olúwa ti gba ìjọba
Sodomu àti Gomorra
pẹ̀lú àwọn ìlú agbègbè wọn,”
ni Olúwa wí,
“kì yóò sí ẹni tí yóò gbé ibẹ̀.
41“Wò ó! Ọ̀wọ́ ọmọ-ogun láti ìhà àríwá;
orílẹ̀-èdè ńlá àti àwọn ọba púpọ̀ ni à ń
gbé dìde láti òpin ilẹ̀ ayé.
42Wọ́n sì di ìhámọ́ra ọ̀kọ̀ àti ọrun,
wọ́n burú wọn kò sì ní àánú.
Wọ́n n ké bí i rírú omi bí wọ́n ti ṣe ń gun ẹṣin wọn lọ.
Wọ́n wá bí àkójọpọ̀ ogun láti kọlù ọ́, ìwọ ọmọbìnrin Babeli.
43Ọba Babeli ti gbọ́ ìròyìn nípa wọn,
ọwọ́ wọn sì rọ,
ìrora mú wọn bí obìnrin tí ó ń rọbí.
44Bí i kìnnìún ni òun ó gòkè wá láti igbó Jordani
sí orí ilẹ̀ ọlọ́ràá,
Èmi ó lé Babeli kúrò ní ilẹ̀ rẹ̀ ní kíákíá.
Ta ni àyànfẹ́ náà tí èmi ó yàn sórí rẹ̀?
Ta ló dàbí mi, ta ni ó sì pé mi ṣe ẹlẹ́rìí?
Ta ni olùṣọ́-àgùntàn náà tí yóò le dúró níwájú mi?”
45Nítorí náà, gbọ́ ohun tí
Olúwa sọ nípa Babeli
ẹni tí ó gbìmọ̀ lòdì
sí Babeli; n ó sì pa
agbo ẹran wọn run.
46Ní ohùn igbe ńlá pé;
a kò Babeli, ilẹ̀ ayé yóò mì tìtì,
a sì gbọ́ igbe náà
láàrín àwọn orílẹ̀-èdè.
