Isaiah 47
Come Down and Sit in the Dust, Daughter of Babylon
← Isaiah 46 · Isaiah: all chapters · Isaiah 48 →
Come Down and Sit on the Ground, Daughter of Babylon
47:1“Come down and sit on the ground, virgin daughter Babylon. Enter darkness, daughter of the Chaldeans, for you will no longer be called tender and pampered.
47:2Take a millstone and grind flour. Uncover your veil, expose your gray hair, pull up your garments to bare your lower legs, and cross rivers.
47:3Your shame will be uncovered, and your reproaches will be visible. I will exact justice from you; I will certainly no longer hand it over to humans.”
47:4The One who rescued you said—His name is the Lord Sabaoth, Israel’s Holy One—
Sit Stricken and Enter Darkness
47:5“Sit stricken and enter darkness, daughter of the Chaldeans. You will no longer be called a kingdom’s strength.
47:6I was provoked against My people; you defiled My inheritance. I gave it into your hand, but you gave them no mercy; you made the elder’s yoke exceedingly heavy.
47:7You said, ‘I will rule forever.’ You did not consider these things in your heart or remember the last things.
47:8Now hear these things, pampered one who sits confident, saying in her heart, ‘I am, and there is no other. I will not sit as a widow or know bereavement.’
These Two Will Come upon You Suddenly
47:9Now these two will come upon you suddenly, in one day: widowhood and childlessness will come suddenly upon you, amid your sorcery and the overwhelming power of your enchanters,
47:10in your hope of wickedness. For you said, ‘I am, and there is no other.’ Know that understanding these things and your prostitution will become your shame. You said in your heart, ‘I am, and there is no other.’
47:11Destruction will come upon you, and you will not know it—a pit, and you will fall into it. Misery will come upon you, and you will not be able to become clean. Destruction will come upon you suddenly, and you will not know it.
47:12Stand now amid your enchantments and your abundant sorcery, which you learned from youth, if you can be helped.
The Astrologers Cannot Save Babylon
47:13You have toiled in your counsels. Let heaven’s astrologers stand up and save you; let those watching the stars announce to you what is about to come upon you.
47:14Look, all will be burned up like brushwood upon a fire and certainly not rescue their soul from flame. Since you have burning coals, sit upon them!
47:15These will be your help! You toiled in your trade from youth; each person wandered on his own, but there will be no salvation for you.”
← Isaiah 46 · Isaiah: all chapters · Isaiah 48 →
Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.