The Burden against Babylon

1  מַשָּׂ֖א (The oracle taken up) בָּבֶ֑ל (concerning Babylon), אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that) חָזָ֔ה (has seen) יְשַׁעְיָ֖הוּ (Isaiah) בֶּן־ (son) אָמֽוֹץ׃ (of Amo z):

2  עַ֤ל (Upon) הַר־ (the mountain) נִשְׁפֶּה֙ (bare) שְֽׂאוּ־ (lift up) נֵ֔ס (a banner);

הָרִ֥ימוּ (raise high) ק֖וֹל (your voice) לָהֶ֑ם (to them);

הָנִ֣יפוּ (Wave) יָ֔ד (a hand),

וְיָבֹ֖אוּ (that they may enter) פִּתְחֵ֥י (the gates) נְדִיבִֽים׃ (of the nobles).

3  אֲנִ֥י (I) צִוֵּ֖יתִי (have commanded) לִמְקֻדָּשָׁ֑י (My holy ones);

גַּ֣ם (also) קָרָ֤אתִי (I have called) גִבּוֹרַי֙ (My mighty ones)

לְאַפִּ֔י (for My nose),

עַלִּיזֵ֖י (those jubilant ones) גַּאֲוָתִֽי׃ (of My pride).

4  ק֥וֹל (The voice) הָמ֛וֹן (of a crowd) בֶּֽהָרִ֖ים (on the mountains),

דְּמ֣וּת (like that of) עַם־ (people) רָ֑ב (many),

ק֠וֹל (the voice) שְׁא֞וֹן (of a roar) מַמְלְכ֤וֹת (of the kingdoms)

גּוֹיִם֙ (of nations) נֶֽאֱסָפִ֔ים (gathered together)—

יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH of) צְבָא֔וֹת (Hosts) מְפַקֵּ֖ד (is mustering)

צְבָ֥א (a host) מִלְחָמָֽה׃ (for battle).

5  בָּאִ֛ים (They are coming) מֵאֶ֥רֶץ (from a land) מֶרְחָ֖ק (far off),

מִקְצֵ֣ה (from the end) הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם (of the heavens)—

יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) וּכְלֵ֣י (and the instruments) זַעְמ֔וֹ (of His indignation),

לְחַבֵּ֖ל (to destroy) כָּל־ (all) הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (the land).

6  הֵילִ֕ילוּ (Wail), כִּ֥י (for) קָר֖וֹב (is near) י֣וֹם (the day) יְהוָ֑ה (of YHWH);

כְּשֹׁ֖ד (as destruction) מִשַּׁדַּ֥י (from Shaddai) יָבֽוֹא׃ (it will come).

7  עַל־ (At) כֵּ֖ן (this) כָּל־ (all) יָדַ֣יִם (hands) תִּרְפֶּ֑ינָה (will go limp),

וְכָל־ (and every) לְבַ֥ב (heart) אֱנ֖וֹשׁ (of man) יִמָּס׃ (will melt).

8  וְֽנִבְהָ֓לוּ׀ (And they will be afraid), צִירִ֤ים (pains) וַֽחֲבָלִים֙ (and pangs) יֹֽאחֵז֔וּן (will seize them);

כַּיּוֹלֵדָ֖ה (like a woman in labor) יְחִיל֑וּן (they will writhe);

אִ֤ישׁ (each man) אֶל־ (to) רֵעֵ֙הוּ֙ (his neighbor) יִתְמָ֔הוּ (will look with astonishment);

פְּנֵ֥י (with faces) לְהָבִ֖ים (aflame)— פְּנֵיהֶֽם׃ (their faces)!

9  הִנֵּ֤ה (Behold), יוֹם־ (the day) יְהוָה֙ (of YHWH) בָּ֔א (is coming),

אַכְזָרִ֥י (cruel) וְעֶבְרָ֖ה (with wrath) וַחֲר֣וֹן (and heat) אָ֑ף (of anger),

לָשׂ֤וּם (to set) הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ (the land) לְשַׁמָּ֔ה (unto desolation),

וְחַטָּאֶ֖יהָ (and its sinful ones) יַשְׁמִ֥יד (He will destroy) מִמֶּֽנָּה׃ (from it).

10  כִּֽי־ (For) כוֹכְבֵ֤י (the stars) הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ (of the heavens) וּכְסִ֣ילֵיהֶ֔ם (and their constellations)

לֹ֥א (not) יָהֵ֖לּוּ (will shine forth) אוֹרָ֑ם (their light);

חָשַׁ֤ךְ (will be darkened) הַשֶּׁ֙מֶשׁ֙ (the sun) בְּצֵאת֔וֹ (in its going forth),

וְיָרֵ֖חַ (and the moon) לֹֽא־ (not) יַגִּ֥יהַ (will cause to shine) אוֹרֽוֹ׃ (its light).

11  וּפָקַדְתִּ֤י (And I will visit punishment) עַל־ (upon) תֵּבֵל֙ (the world) רָעָ֔ה (for evil),

וְעַל־ (and upon) רְשָׁעִ֖ים (the wicked) עֲוֺנָ֑ם (for their iniquity),

וְהִשְׁבַּתִּי֙ (and I will make cease) גְּא֣וֹן (the arrogance) זֵדִ֔ים (of the proud ones),

וְגַאֲוַ֥ת (and the haughtiness) עָרִיצִ֖ים (of the ruthless ones) אַשְׁפִּֽיל׃ (I will lay low).

12  אוֹקִ֥יר (I will make scarcer) אֱנ֖וֹשׁ (man) מִפָּ֑ז (than pure gold);

וְאָדָ֖ם (and mankind) מִכֶּ֥תֶם (than the gold) אוֹפִֽיר׃ (of Ophir).

13  עַל־ (Upon) כֵּן֙ (thus) שָׁמַ֣יִם (the heavens) אַרְגִּ֔יז (I will make tremble)

וְתִרְעַ֥שׁ (and will be shaken) הָאָ֖רֶץ (the earth) מִמְּקוֹמָ֑הּ (from her place),

בְּעֶבְרַת֙ (by the fury) יְהוָ֣ה (of YHWH) צְבָא֔וֹת (of Hosts),

וּבְי֖וֹם (and in the day) חֲר֥וֹן (of the heat) אַפּֽוֹ׃ (of his nose).

14  וְהָיָה֙ (And it has been) כִּצְבִ֣י (like the gazelle) מֻדָּ֔ח (driven away)

וּכְצֹ֖אן (or like a sheep) וְאֵ֣ין (without) מְקַבֵּ֑ץ (one gathering it),

אִ֤ישׁ (every man) אֶל־ (to) עַמּוֹ֙ (his people) יִפְנ֔וּ (will turn),

וְאִ֥ישׁ (and each man) אֶל־ (to) אַרְצ֖וֹ (his land) יָנֽוּסוּ׃ (will flee).

15  כָּל־ (Everyone) הַנִּמְצָ֖א (who is found) יִדָּקֵ֑ר (will be pierced),

וְכָל־ (and everyone) הַנִּסְפֶּ֖ה (who is captured) יִפּ֥וֹל (will fall) בֶּחָֽרֶב׃ (by the sword).

16  וְעֹלְלֵיהֶ֥ם (And their children) יְרֻטְּשׁ֖וּ (will be dashed to pieces)

לְעֵֽינֵיהֶ֑ם (before their eyes);

יִשַּׁ֙סּוּ֙ (will be plundered) בָּֽתֵּיהֶ֔ם (their houses),

וּנְשֵׁיהֶ֖ם (and their wives) תִּשָּׁגַלְנָה׃ (will be ravished).

17  הִנְנִ֛י (Behold), מֵעִ֥יר (I am stirring up) עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם (against them) אֶת־ (-) מָדָ֑י (the Medes),

אֲשֶׁר־ (who) כֶּ֙סֶף֙ (for silver) לֹ֣א (have no) יַחְשֹׁ֔בוּ (regard),

וְזָהָ֖ב (and gold), לֹ֥א (not) יַחְפְּצוּ־ (do they delight) בֽוֹ׃ (in it).

18  וּקְשָׁת֖וֹת (And bows) נְעָרִ֣ים (the young men) תְּרַטַּ֑שְׁנָה (smash to pieces),

וּפְרִי־ (and on the fruit) בֶ֙טֶן֙ (of the womb) לֹ֣א (not) יְרַחֵ֔מוּ (they will have mercy on);

עַל־ (on) בָּנִ֖ים (sons) לֹֽא־ (not) תָח֥וּס (does have pity) עֵינָֽם׃ (their eye).

19  וְהָיְתָ֤ה (And will be) בָבֶל֙ (Babylon) צְבִ֣י (the glory)

מַמְלָכ֔וֹת (of kingdoms), תִּפְאֶ֖רֶת (the beauty) גְּא֣וֹן (of the pride)

כַּשְׂדִּ֑ים (of the Chaldeans), כְּמַהְפֵּכַ֣ת (like the overthrowing) אֱלֹהִ֔ים (by God) אֶת־ (-)

סְדֹ֖ם (of Sodom) וְאֶת־ (and) עֲמֹרָֽה׃ (Gomorrah).

20  לֹֽא־ (Not) תֵשֵׁ֣ב (be dwelt in) לָנֶ֔צַח (to eternity),

וְלֹ֥א (and not) תִשְׁכֹּ֖ן (will she be dwelt in) עַד־ (for) דּ֣וֹר (generation) וָד֑וֹר (and generation),

וְלֹֽא־ (and not) יַהֵ֥ל (will pitch a tent) שָׁם֙ (there) עֲרָבִ֔י (an Arab),

וְרֹעִ֖ים (and shepherds) לֹא־ (not) יַרְבִּ֥צוּ (they will make make flocks rest) שָֽׁם׃ (there).

21  וְרָבְצוּ־ (And will stretch out) שָׁ֣ם (there) צִיִּ֔ים (desert creatures),

וּמָלְא֥וּ (will be full) בָתֵּיהֶ֖ם (their houses) אֹחִ֑ים (of howling creatures)

וְשָׁ֤כְנוּ (and will dwell) שָׁם֙ (there) בְּנ֣וֹת (daughters) יַֽעֲנָ֔ה (of the ostrich),

וּשְׂעִירִ֖ים (and wild goats) יְרַקְּדוּ־ (will skip about) שָֽׁם׃ (there).

22  וְעָנָ֤ה (And will howl) אִיִּים֙ (hyenas) בְּאַלְמנוֹתָ֔יו (in its towers),

וְתַנִּ֖ים (and jackals) בְּהֵ֣יכְלֵי (in its palaces) עֹ֑נֶג (of delight).

וְקָר֤וֹב (And near) לָבוֹא֙ (is coming) עִתָּ֔הּ (her time),

וְיָמֶ֖יהָ (and her days) לֹ֥א (not) יִמָּשֵֽׁכוּ׃ (will be drawn out).