Lament over fallen Babylon
1After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendour. 2With a mighty voice he shouted:
‘ “Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!”18:2 Isaiah 21:9
She has become a dwelling for demons
and a haunt for every impure spirit,
a haunt for every unclean bird,
a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.
3For all the nations have drunk
the maddening wine of her adulteries.
The kings of the earth committed adultery with her,
and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.’
Warning to escape Babylon’s judgment
4Then I heard another voice from heaven say:
‘ “Come out of her, my people,”18:4 Jer. 51:45
so that you will not share in her sins,
so that you will not receive any of her plagues;
5for her sins are piled up to heaven,
and God has remembered her crimes.
6Give back to her as she has given;
pay her back double for what she has done.
Pour her a double portion from her own cup.
7Give her as much torment and grief
as the glory and luxury she gave herself.
In her heart she boasts,
“I sit enthroned as queen.
I am not a widow;18:7 See Isaiah 47:7,8.
I will never mourn.”
8Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her:
death, mourning and famine.
She will be consumed by fire,
for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.
Threefold woe over Babylon’s fall
9‘When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her. 10Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry:
‘ “Woe! Woe to you, great city,
you mighty city of Babylon!
In one hour your doom has come!”
11‘The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no-one buys their cargoes anymore – 12cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth; every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble; 13cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and human beings sold as slaves.
14‘They will say, “The fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your luxury and splendour have vanished, never to be recovered.” 15The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her will stand far off, terrified at her torment. They will weep and mourn 16and cry out:
‘ “Woe! Woe to you, great city,
dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet,
and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls!
17In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!”
‘Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea, will stand far off. 18When they see the smoke of her burning, they will exclaim, “Was there ever a city like this great city?” 19They will throw dust on their heads, and with weeping and mourning cry out:
‘ “Woe! Woe to you, great city,
where all who had ships on the sea
became rich through her wealth!
In one hour she has been brought to ruin!”
20‘Rejoice over her, you heavens!
Rejoice, you people of God!
Rejoice, apostles and prophets!
For God has judged her
with the judgment she imposed on you.’
The finality of Babylon’s doom
21Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea, and said:
‘With such violence
the great city of Babylon will be thrown down,
never to be found again.
22The music of harpists and musicians, pipers and trumpeters,
will never be heard in you again.
No worker of any trade
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 voice of bridegroom and bride
will never be heard in you again.
Your merchants were the world’s important people.
By your magic spell all the nations were led astray.
24In her was found the blood of prophets and of God’s holy people,
of all who have been slaughtered on the earth.’
巴比伦的下场
1之后，我看见另一位执掌大权的天使从天降下，他的荣光照亮了大地。 2他用强有力的声音喊着说：
“巴比伦大城倒塌了！倒塌了！
她成了鬼魔的住处、
各样污鬼的监狱和一切可憎的不洁鸟兽的牢笼！
3因为列国都被她荒淫的烈酒灌醉了。
地上的君王曾经与她通奸，
地上的商人也因她穷奢极侈的生活而发了财。”
4我听见天上又有一个声音说：
“我的子民啊，离开那城，
以免沾染她的罪恶，
受她所受的灾祸。
5因为她已经罪恶滔天，
上帝没有忘记她一切的不义。
6她怎样待人，
你们也要怎样待她，
要按她所做的加倍地报应她，
用她调酒的杯加倍地调给她喝。
7她过去怎样自炫自耀、
奢华荒淫，
现在也要让她怎样痛苦哀伤。
因为她心里说，
‘我贵为女王，不是寡妇，
绝不会经历哀伤。’
8所以在一天之内，
她的灾祸，就是死亡、
哀伤和饥荒要同时临到她身上。
她要被火烧尽，
因为审判她的主上帝能力伟大。
9“那些曾与她通奸享乐的君王目睹焚烧她的烟，必为她哭泣哀号。 10他们对她所受的灾祸充满恐惧，就远远地站着说，
“‘强大坚固的巴比伦城啊，
真悲惨！真悲惨！
因为审判顷刻间临到你了。’
11“地上的商人也为她哀伤，因为再也没有人购买他们的货物了。 12他们的金、银、宝石、珍珠、细麻布、紫布、丝绸、朱红布、各样香木、象牙器具，贵重木材、铜、铁、大理石制品， 13以及肉桂、豆蔻、香料、香膏、乳香、酒、油、细面粉、小麦、牛、羊、马、车、仆婢和人口都没有人购买了。 14他们呼喊，‘巴比伦啊！你贪爱的美物已离你而去了，一切珍馐百味、奢侈华丽的东西都消失殆尽，无影无踪。’
15“靠贩卖这些货物给她而致富的商人对她所受的灾祸充满恐惧，就站在远处为她哀伤哭号， 16说，‘身穿紫色和朱红色的细麻布衣服，以黄金、宝石、珍珠为装饰的大城啊，真悲惨！真悲惨！ 17因为顷刻间你这一切的繁华都化为乌有了。’所有船主、乘客、水手及靠海为生的人都远远地站着， 18看见烧她的烟，就说，‘有哪一座城能与她相比呢？’ 19他们又把尘土撒在头上，哀伤哭泣，喊着说，
“‘这大城啊，真悲惨！真悲惨！
所有经营航运的都因她的奢华而发了财，
可是顷刻间她却沦为废墟了！’
20上天啊，
众圣徒、众使徒和众先知啊，
为她的下场欢乐吧！
因为上帝已经向她施行报应，
为你们申冤了。”
21这时，有一位大力天使举起一块像大磨石的石头扔进海里，说：
“巴比伦大城也必这样被用力扔下去，
消失得无影无踪。
22在你那里，
再也听不见弹琴作乐、
鸣笛吹号的声音了，
再也找不到能工巧匠了，
再也听不到推磨的声音了，
23再也看不到闪耀的灯光了，
再也听不见新婚夫妇的欢笑声了。
因为你的商人曾经趾高气扬，
你的邪术曾经迷惑万国，
24你的城墙内流满了众先知、
众圣徒和地上一切被杀之人的血。”
