1. Thus hath the Lord said; Behold, I raise up against Babylon and against her inhabitants that rise up against me from the heart, a destroying wind.
2. And I will send unto Babylon fanners that shall fan her and shall empty her land; for in the day of trouble they shall be against her round about.
3. I shall say to the archer that bends his bow and unto him that lifts himself up in his brigandine, Spare ye not her young men; utterly destroy all her host.
4. Thus the slain shall fall in the land of the Chaldeans and those that are thrust through in her streets.
5. For Israel and Judah have not been made widows of their God, of the Lord of the hosts, though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel.
6. Flee out of the midst of Babylon and deliver each one his soul that ye not perish because of her iniquity, for this is the time of the Lord’s vengeance; he will render unto her a recompense.
7. Babylon has been a golden cup in the Lord’s hand that made all the earth drunken: the Gentiles have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad.
8. Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed; howl for her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed.
9. We applied the medicine to Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go each one into his own land; for her judgment is come unto heaven and is lifted up even to the clouds.
10. The Lord has brought our righteousness to light; come, and let us declare in Zion the work of the Lord our God.
11. Make bright the arrows; gather the shields; the Lord has awakened the spirit of the kings of the Medes; for his thought is against Babylon to destroy her; for it is vengeance of the Lord, the vengeance of his temple.
12. Set up the banner upon the walls of Babylon, make the watch strong, set up the watchmen, prepare the ambushes; for the Lord has deliberated and shall put into effect that which he spoke against the inhabitants of Babylon.
13. O thou that dwellest among many waters, rich in treasures, thine end is come, the measure of thy covetousness.
14. The Lord of the hosts has sworn by himself, saying, Surely I will fill thee with men as with locusts; and they shall sing the song of the winepress against thee.
15. He is the one who makes the earth by his power; he upholds the world by his wisdom and extends the heavens by his intelligence;
16. he who gives with his voice a multitude of waters from heaven, then he causes the clouds to ascend from the ends of the earth; he makes lightnings with the rain and brings forth the wind out of his treasures.
17. Every man has become carnal and is without knowledge; let every founder be ashamed of the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.
18. They are vanity, the work of errors; in the time of their visitation they shall perish.