Isaiah, 13

1. An oracle concerning Babylon; a vision of Isaiah, son of Amoz.

1. Proclamation about Babylon, seen by Isaiah son of Amoz.

2. Upon the bare mountains set up a signal; cry out to them, Wave for them to enter the gates of the volunteers.

2. On a bare hill hoist a signal, shout for them, beckon them to come to the Nobles' Gate.

3. I have commanded my dedicated soldiers, I have summoned my warriors, eager and bold to carry out my anger.

3. I have issued orders to my sacred warriors, I have summoned my heroes to serve my anger, my proud champions.

4. Listen! the rumble on the mountains: that of an immense throng! Listen! the noise of kingdoms, nations assembled! The LORD of hosts is mustering an army for battle.

4. The noise of a great crowd in the mountains, like an immense people, the tumultuous sound of kingdoms, of nations mustering: it is Yahweh Sabaoth marshalling the troops 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.

5. They come from a distant country, from the far horizons, Yahweh and the instruments of his fury to lay the whole country waste.

6. Howl, for the day of the LORD is near; as destruction from the Almighty it comes.

6. Howl! For the Day of Yahweh is near, coming like devastation from Shaddai.

7. Therefore all hands fall helpless, the bows of the young men fall from their hands. Every man's heart melts

7. This is why all hands fall limp, why all the men are losing heart;

8. in terror. Pangs and sorrows take hold of them, like a woman in labor they writhe; They look aghast at each other, their faces aflame.

8. they are panic-stricken, seized with pains and convulsions; they writhe like a woman in labour, they look at one another appalled, with feverish faces.

9. Lo, the day of the LORD comes, cruel, with wrath and burning anger; To lay waste the land and destroy the sinners within it!

9. Look, the Day of Yahweh is coming, merciless, with wrath and burning anger, to reduce the country to a desert and root out the sinners from it.

10. The stars and constellations of the heavens send forth no light; The sun is dark when it rises, and the light of the moon does not shine.

10. For in the sky the stars and Orion will shed their light no longer, the sun will be dark when it rises, and the moon will no longer give its light.

11. Thus I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their guilt. I will put an end to the pride of the arrogant, the insolence of tyrants I will humble.

11. I am going to punish the world for its wickedness and the wicked for their guilt, and put an end to the pride of the arrogant and humble the haughtiness of despots.

12. I will make mortals more rare than pure gold, men, than gold of Ophir.

12. I shall make people scarcer than pure gold, human life scarcer than the gold of Ophir.

13. For this I will make the heavens tremble and the earth shall be shaken from its place, At the wrath of the LORD of hosts on the day of his burning anger.

13. This is why I am going to shake the heavens, why the earth will reel on its foundations, under the wrath of Yahweh Sabaoth, the day when his anger ignites.

14. Like a hunted gazelle, or a flock that no one gathers, Every man shall turn to his kindred and flee to his own land.

14. Then like a hunted gazelle, like sheep that nobody gathers in, everyone will head back to his people, everyone will flee to his native land.

15. Everyone who is caught shall be run through; to a man, they shall fall by the sword.

15. All those who are found will be stabbed, all those captured will fall by the sword,

16. Their infants shall be dashed to pieces in their sight; their houses shall be plundered and their wives ravished.

16. their babies dashed to pieces before their eyes, their houses plundered, their wives raped.

17. I am stirring up against them the Medes, who think nothing of silver and take no delight in gold.

17. Look, against them I am stirring up the Medes who care nothing for silver, who set no value by gold.

18. The fruit of the womb they shall not spare, nor shall they have eyes of pity for children.

18. Bows will annihilate the young men, they will have no pity for the fruit of the womb, or mercy in their eyes for children.

19. And Babylon, the jewel of kingdoms, the glory and pride of the Chaldeans, Shall be overthrown by God like Sodom and like Gomorrah.

19. And Babylon, that pearl of kingdoms, that splendid jewel of the Chaldaeans, will, like Sodom and Gomorrah, be overthrown by God.

20. She shall never be inhabited, nor dwelt in, from age to age; The Arab shall not pitch his tent there, nor shepherds couch their flocks.

20. Never again will anyone live there or reside there for all generations to come. Never again will the Arab pitch his tent there, or the shepherds bring their flocks to rest.

21. But wildcats shall rest there and owls shall fill the houses; There ostriches shall dwell, and satyrs shall dance.

21. But beasts of the desert will make their haunt there and owls fill their houses, there ostriches will settle their home, there goats will dance.

22. Desert beasts shall howl in her castles, and jackals in her luxurious palaces. Her time is near at hand and her days shall not be prolonged.

22. Hyenas will howl in its towers, jackals in its delightful palaces, for its doom is about to come and its days will not last long.