7. But finally the earth is at rest and quiet.Now it can sing again!
8. Even the trees of the forest—the cypress trees and the cedars of Lebanon—sing out this joyous song:‘Since you have been cut down,no one will come now to cut us down!’
9. “In the place of the dead there is excitementover your arrival.The spirits of world leaders and mighty kings long deadstand up to see you.
10. With one voice they all cry out,‘Now you are as weak as we are!
11. Your might and power were buried with you.The sound of the harp in your palace has ceased.Now maggots are your sheet,and worms your blanket.’
12. “How you are fallen from heaven,O shining star, son of the morning!You have been thrown down to the earth,you who destroyed the nations of the world.
13. For you said to yourself,‘I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God’s stars.I will preside on the mountain of the godsfar away in the north.
14. I will climb to the highest heavensand be like the Most High.’
15. Instead, you will be brought down to the place of the dead,down to its lowest depths.
16. Everyone there will stare at you and ask,‘Can this be the one who shook the earthand made the kingdoms of the world tremble?
17. Is this the one who destroyed the worldand made it into a wasteland?Is this the king who demolished the world’s greatest citiesand had no mercy on his prisoners?’
18. “The kings of the nations lie in stately glory,each in his own tomb,
19. but you will be thrown out of your gravelike a worthless branch.Like a corpse trampled underfoot,you will be dumped into a mass gravewith those killed in battle.You will descend to the pit.
20. You will not be given a proper burial,for you have destroyed your nationand slaughtered your people.The descendants of such an evil personwill never again receive honor.
21. Kill this man’s children!Let them die because of their father’s sins!They must not rise and conquer the earth,filling the world with their cities.”
22. This is what the lord of Heaven’s Armies says:“I, myself, have risen against Babylon!I will destroy its children and its children’s children,”says the lord.