1. An oracle concerning Babylon; a vision of Isaiah, son of Amoz.
2. Upon the bare mountains set up a signal;cry out to them,Beckon for them to enterthe gates of the nobles.
3. I have commanded my consecrated ones,I have summoned my warriors,eager and bold to carry out my anger.
4. Listen! the rumble on the mountains:that of an immense throng!Listen! the noise of kingdoms, nations assembled!The Lord of hosts is musteringan army for battle.
5. They come from a far-off country,and from the end of the heavens,The Lord and the instruments of his wrath,to destroy all the land.
6. Howl, for the day of the Lord is near;as destruction from the Almighty it comes.
7. Therefore all hands fall helpless,every human heart melts,
8. and they are terrified,Pangs and sorrows take hold of them,like a woman in labor they writhe;They look aghast at each other,their faces aflame.
9. Indeed, the day of the Lord comes,cruel, with wrath and burning anger;To lay waste the landand destroy the sinners within it!
10. The stars of the heavens and their constellationswill send forth no light;The sun will be dark at its rising,and the moon will not give its light.
11. Thus I will punish the world for its eviland the wicked for their guilt.I will put an end to the pride of the arrogant,the insolence of tyrants I will humble.
12. I will make mortals more rare than pure gold,human beings, than the gold of Ophir.
13. For this I will make the heavens trembleand the earth shall be shaken from its place,At the wrath of the Lord of hostson the day of his burning anger.
14. Like a hunted gazelle,or a flock that no one gathers,They shall turn each to their own peopleand flee each to their own land.
15. Everyone who is taken shall be run through;and everyone who is caught shall fall by the sword.
16. Their infants shall be dashed to pieces in their sight;their houses shall be plunderedand their wives ravished.
17. I am stirring up against them the Medes,who think nothing of silverand take no delight in gold.
18. With their bows they shall shatter the young men,And the fruit of the womb they shall not spare,nor shall their eye take pity on children.
19. And Babylon, the jewel of kingdoms,the glory and pride of the Chaldeans,Shall become like Sodom and Gomorrah,overthrown by God.
20. It shall never be inhabited,nor dwelt in, from age to age;Arabians shall not pitch their tents there,nor shepherds rest their flocks there.
21. But desert demons shall rest thereand owls shall fill the houses;There ostriches shall dwell,and satyrs shall dance.
22. Wild dogs shall dwell in its castles,and jackals in its luxurious palaces.Its time is near at handand its days shall not be prolonged.