5. That city’s sins are piled up as high as heaven. God has not forgotten the wrongs she has done.
6. Give that city the same as she gave to others. Pay her back twice as much as she did. Prepare wine for her that is twice as strong as the wine she prepared for others.
7. She gave herself much glory and rich living. Give her that much suffering and sadness. She says to herself, ‘I am a queen sitting on my throne. I am not a widow; I will never be sad.’
8. So in one day she will suffer great hunger, mourning, and death. She will be destroyed by fire, because the Lord God who judges her is powerful.
9. “The rulers of the earth who sinned sexually with her and shared her wealth will see the smoke from her burning. Then they will cry and be sad because of her death.
10. The rulers will be afraid of her suffering and stand far away. They will say, ‘Terrible! How terrible, O great city, O powerful city of Babylon! Your punishment came in one hour!’
11. “And the merchants of the earth will cry and be sad for her. They will be sad because now there is no one to buy the things they sell—
12. gold, silver, jewels, pearls, fine linen cloth, purple cloth, silk, and scarlet cloth, all kinds of citron wood, and all kinds of things made from ivory, expensive wood, bronze, iron, and marble.
13. They also sell cinnamon, spice, incense, frankincense, myrrh, wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, horses, carriages, and slaves—yes, even human lives. The merchants will cry and say,
14. ‘O Babylon, the good things you wanted have left you. All your rich and fancy things have disappeared. You will never have them again.’