43. Her towns are devastated;her land is scorched and barren,a place where no one livesor dares to pass through.
44. I will punish Bel in Babylon;I will force him to vomitwhat he’s consumed.Then nations will no longerstream to him,and Babylon’s walls will collapse!
45. Get out of Babylon, my people!Run for your livesfrom the Lord’s fierce anger.
46. Don’t be distracted or frightenedby the rumors you hear in the land.Sometimes you hear one thingand another time something else:rumors of violence and uprisings.
47. The time is comingwhen I will deal with Babylon’s idols;the whole land will be disgraced,and her wounded will fall in her midst.
48. Then all creation will rejoice over Babylon,because out of the northdestroying armies will come to attack her,declares the Lord.
49. Babylon must fallfor the dead in Israel,as the dead of all the earthhave fallen to Babylon.
50. You survivors of war,leave now; don’t delay!Remember the Lord, from a faraway land.Keep Jerusalem alive in your hearts.
51. We’re humiliated by their taunts;we’re disgraced that strangershave violated the sacred placesof the Lord’s temple.
52. The time is coming,declares the Lord, when I will deal with her idols,and the wounded in her land will groan.
53. Even if Babylon scales the heavensand strengthens its towering defenses,the destroying armies will still comeagainst her, at my command,declares the Lord.
54. Listen to the cries for help from Babylon,signs of massive devastation in the land,declares the Lord.
55. The Lord is destroying Babylonand silencing her outcry,whose roar is like the crushing waves,a deafening crash.
56. He certainly comes against her;the destroyer comes against Babylon.Her warriors are captured;their bows are broken.The Lord is an exacting Godwho repays in full.
57. I’ll make her leaders and sages drunk,her governors, officials,and warriors as well.They will sleep forever, never to get up,declares the king,whose name isthe Lord of heavenly forces.