1 The word which the Lord said about Babylon, about the land of the Chaldaeans, by Jeremiah the prophet.2 Give it out among the nations, make it public, and let the flag be lifted up; give the word and keep nothing back; say, Babylon is taken, Bel is put to shame, Merodach is broken, her images are put to shame, her gods are broken.3 For out of the north a nation is coming up against her, which will make her land waste and unpeopled: they are in flight, man and beast are gone.4 In those days and in that time, says the Lord, the children of Israel will come, they and the children of Judah together; they will go on their way weeping and making prayer to the Lord their God.5 They will be questioning about the way to Zion, with their faces turned in its direction, saying, Come, and be united to the Lord in an eternal agreement which will be kept in mind for ever.6 My people have been wandering sheep: their keepers have made them go out of the right way, turning them loose on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, having no memory of their resting-place.7 They have been attacked by all those who came across them: and their attackers said, We are doing no wrong, because they have done evil against the Lord in whom is righteousness, against the Lord, the hope of their fathers.8 Go in flight out of Babylon, go out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and be like he-goats before the flocks.9 For see, I am moving and sending up against Babylon a band of great nations from the north country: and they will put their armies in position against her; and from there she will be taken: their arrows will be like those of an expert man of war; not one will come back without getting its mark.10 And the wealth of Chaldaea will come into the hands of her attackers: all those who take her wealth will have enough, says the Lord.11 Because you are glad, because you are lifted up with pride, you wasters of my heritage, because you are playing like a young cow put out to grass, and you make a noise like strong horses;12 Your mother will be put to shame; she who gave you birth will be looked down on: see, she will be the last of the nations, a waste place, a dry and unwatered land.13 Because of the wrath of the Lord no one will be living in it, and it will be quite unpeopled: everyone who goes by Babylon will be overcome with wonder, and make sounds of fear at all her punishments.14 Put your armies in position against Babylon on every side, all you bowmen; let loose your arrows at her, not keeping any back: for she has done evil against the Lord.15 Give a loud cry against her on every side; she has given herself up, her supports are overturned, her walls are broken down: for it is the payment taken by the Lord; give her payment; as she has done, so do to her.16 Let the planter of seed be cut off from Babylon, and everyone using the curved blade at the time of the grain-cutting: for fear of the cruel sword, everyone will be turned to his people, everyone will go in flight to his land.17 Israel is a wandering sheep; the lions have been driving him away: first he was attacked by the king of Assyria, and now his bones have been broken by Nebuchadrezzar, king of Babylon.18 So this is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel, has said: See, I will send punishment on the king of Babylon and on his land, as I have given punishment to the king of Assyria.19 And I will make Israel come back to his resting-place, and he will get his food on Carmel and Bashan, and have his desire in full measure on the hills of Ephraim and in Gilead.20 In those days and in that time, says the Lord, when the evil-doing of Israel is looked for, there will be nothing; and in Judah no sins will be seen: for I will have forgiveness for those whom I will keep safe.21 Go up against the land of Merathaim, even against it, and against the people of Pekod; put them to death and send destruction after them, says the Lord, and do everything I have given you orders to do.22 There is a sound of war in the land and of great destruction.23 How is the hammer of all the earth cut in two and broken! how has Babylon become a waste among the nations!24 I have put a net for you, and you have been taken, O Babylon, without your knowledge: you have been uncovered and taken because you were fighting against the Lord.25 From his store-house the Lord has taken the instruments of his wrath: for the Lord, the Lord of armies, has a work to do in the land of the Chaldaeans.26 Come up against her one and all, let her store-houses be broken open: make her into a mass of stones, give her to the curse, till there is nothing of her to be seen.27 Put all her oxen to the sword; let them go down to death: sorrow is theirs, for their day has come, the time of their punishment.28 The voice of those who are in flight, who have got away safe from the land of Babylon, to give news in Zion of punishment from the Lord our God, even payment for his Temple.29 Send for the archers to come together against Babylon, all the bowmen; put up your tents against her on every side; let no one get away: give her the reward of her work; as she has done, so do to her: for she has been uplifted in pride against the Lord, against the Holy One of Israel.30 For this cause her young men will be falling in her streets, and all her men of war will be cut off in that day, says the Lord.31 See, I am against you, O pride, says the Lord, the Lord of armies, for your day has come, the time when I will send punishment on you.32 And pride will go with uncertain steps and have a fall, and there will be no one to come to his help: and I will put a fire in his towns, burning up everything round about him.33 This is what the Lord of armies has said: The children of Israel and the children of Judah are crushed down together: all those who took them prisoner keep them in a tight grip; they will not let them go.34 Their saviour is strong; the Lord of armies is his name: he will certainly take up their cause, so that he may give rest to the earth and trouble to the people of Babylon.35 A sword is on the Chaldaeans, says the Lord, and on the people of Babylon, and on her rulers and on her wise men.36 A sword is on the men of pride, and they will become foolish: a sword is on her men of war, and they will be broken.37 A sword is on all the mixed people in her, and they will become like women: a sword is on her store-houses, and they will be taken by her attackers.38 A sword is on her waters, drying them up; for it is a land of images, and their minds are fixed on false gods.39 For this reason the beasts of the waste land with the wolves will make their holes there and the ostriches will be living in it: never again will men be living there, it will be unpeopled from generation to generation.40 As when Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighbouring towns were overturned by God, says the Lord, so no man will be living in it, and no son of man will have a resting-place there.41 See, a people is coming from the north; a great nation and a number of kings will be put in motion from the inmost parts of the earth.42 Bows and spears are in their hands; they are cruel and have no mercy; their voice is like the thunder of the sea, and they go on horses; everyone in his place like men going to the fight, against you, O daughter of Babylon.43 The king of Babylon has had news of them, and his hands have become feeble: trouble has come on him and pain like the pain of a woman in childbirth.44 See, he will come up like a lion from the thick growth of Jordan against the resting-place of Teman: but I will suddenly make them go in flight from her; and I will put over her the man of my selection: for who is like me? and who will put forward his cause against me? and what keeper of sheep will keep his place before me?45 So give ear to the decision of the Lord which he has made against Babylon, and to his purposes designed against the land of the Chaldaeans; Truly, they will be pulled away by the smallest of the flock; truly, he will make waste their fields with them.46 At the cry, Babylon is taken! the earth is shaking, and the cry comes to the ears of the nations.

1 Verbum quod locutus est Dominus de Babylone et de terra Chaldorum, in manu Jeremi prophet. 2 [Annuntiate in gentibus, et auditum facite :levate signum, prdicate,et nolite celare : dicite : Capta est Babylon,confusus est Bel, victus est Merodach,confusa sunt sculptilia ejus,superata sunt idola eorum.3 Quoniam ascendit contra eam gens ab aquilone,qu ponet terram ejus in solitudinem,et non erit qui habitet in ea ab homine usque ad pecus :et moti sunt, et abierunt.4 In diebus illis, et in tempore illo, ait Dominus,venient filii Isral ipsi et filii Juda simul :ambulantes et flentes properabunt,et Dominum Deum suum qurent :5 in Sion interrogabunt viam, huc facies eorum :venient, et apponentur ad Dominum fdere sempiterno,quod nulla oblivione delebitur.6 Grex perditus factus est populus meus,pastores eorum seduxerunt eos,feceruntque vagari in montibus :de monte in collem transierunt,obliti sunt cubilis sui.7 Omnes qui invenerunt comederunt eos,et hostes eorum dixerunt : Non peccavimus :pro eo quod peccaverunt Domino decori justiti,et exspectationi patrum eorum Domino.8 Recedite de medio Babylonis,et de terra Chaldorum egredimini,et estote quasi hdi ante gregem.9 Quoniam ecce ego suscito,et adducam in Babylonemcongregationem gentium magnarum de terra aquilonis,et prparabuntur adversus eam, et inde capietur :sagitta ejus quasi viri fortis interfectoris :non revertetur vacua.10 Et erit Chalda in prdam :omnes vastantes eam replebuntur, ait Dominus.11 Quoniam exsultatis, et magna loquimini,diripientes hreditatem meam :quoniam effusi estis sicut vituli super herbam,et mugistis sicut tauri :12 confusa est mater vestra nimis,et adquata pulveri, qu genuit vos :ecce novissima erit in gentibus,deserta, invia, et arens.13 Ab ira Domini non habitabitur,sed redigetur tota in solitudinem :omnis qui transibit per Babylonem stupebit,et sibilabit super universis plagis ejus.14 Prparamini contra Babylonem per circuitum,omnes qui tenditis arcum :debellate eam, non parcatis jaculis,quia Domino peccavit.15 Clamate adversus eam,ubique dedit manum,ceciderunt fundamenta ejus,destructi sunt muri ejus,quoniam ultio Domini est :ultionem accipite de ea :sicut fecit, facite ei.16 Disperdite satorem de Babylone,et tenentem falcem in tempore messis :a facie gladii columbunusquisque ad populum suum convertetur,et singuli ad terram suam fugient.17 Grex dispersus Isral,leones ejecerunt eum :primus comedit eum rex Assur :iste novissimus exossavit eumNabuchodonosor rex Babylonis.18 Propterea hc dicit Dominus exercituum, Deus Isral :Ecce ego visitabo regem Babylonis et terram ejus,sicut visitavi regem Assur :19 et reducam Isral ad habitaculum suum :et pascetur Carmelum et Basan,et in monte Ephraim et Galaad saturabitur anima ejus.20 In diebus illis, et in tempore illo, ait Dominus,quretur iniquitas Isral, et non erit :et peccatum Juda, et non invenietur,quoniam propitius ero eis quos reliquero.21 Super terram dominantium ascende,et super habitatores ejus visita :dissipa, et interfice qu post eos sunt, ait Dominus,et fac juxta omnia qu prcepi tibi.22 Vox belli in terra, et contritio magna.23 Quomodo confractus est et contritus malleus univers terr ?quomodo versa est in desertum Babylon in gentibus ?24 Illaqueavi te, et capta es, Babylon,et nesciebas :inventa es et apprehensa,quoniam Dominum provocasti.25 Aperuit Dominus thesaurum suum,et protulit vasa ir su,quoniam opus est Domino Deo exercituum,in terra Chaldorum.26 Venite ad eam ab extremis finibus,aperite ut exeant qui conculcent eam :tollite de via lapides, et redigite in acervos :et interficite eam, nec sit quidquam reliquum.27 Dissipate universos fortes ejus,descendant in occisionem :v eis, quia venit dies eorum,tempus visitationis eorum !28 Vox fugientium,et eorum qui evaserunt de terra Babylonis,ut annuntient in Sion ultionem Domini Dei nostri,ultionem templi ejus.29 Annuntiate in Babylonem plurimis,omnibus qui tendunt arcum :consistite adversus eam per gyrum,et nullus evadat :reddite ei secundum opus suum :juxta omnia qu fecit, facite illi,quia contra Dominum erecta est,adversum Sanctum Isral.30 Idcirco cadent juvenes ejus in plateis ejus,et omnes viri bellatores ejus conticescent in die illa,ait Dominus.31 Ecce ego ad te, superbe !dicit Dominus Deus exercituum :quia venit dies tuus,tempus visitationis tu.32 Et cadet superbus, et corruet,et non erit qui suscitet eum :et succendam ignem in urbibus ejus,et devorabit omnia in circuitu ejus.33 Hc dicit Dominus exercituum :Calumniam sustinent filii Isral,et filii Juda simul :omnes qui ceperunt eos, tenent,nolunt dimittere eos.34 Redemptor eorum fortis,Dominus exercituum nomen ejus :judicio defendet causam eorum,ut exterreat terram,et commoveat habitatores Babylonis.35 Gladius ad Chaldos, ait Dominus,et ad habitatores Babylonis,et ad principes, et ad sapientes ejus.36 Gladius ad divinos ejus, qui stulti erunt :gladius ad fortes illius, qui timebunt.37 Gladius ad equos ejus, et ad currus ejus,et ad omne vulgus quod est in medio ejus :et erunt quasi mulieres :gladius ad thesauros ejus, qui diripientur.38 Siccitas super aquas ejus erit, et arescent,quia terra sculptilium est, et in portentis gloriantur.39 Propterea habitabunt dracones cum faunis ficariis,et habitabunt in ea struthiones,et non inhabitabitur ultra usque in sempiternum,nec exstruetur usque ad generationem et generationem.40 Sicut subvertit Dominus Sodomam,et Gomorrham, et vicinas ejus, ait Dominus,non habitabit ibi vir,et non incolet eam filius hominis.41 Ecce populus venit ab aquilone,et gens magna, et reges multiconsurgent a finibus terr.42 Arcum et scutum apprehendent :crudeles sunt, et immisericordes :vox eorum quasi mare sonabit :et super equos ascendent,sicut vir paratus ad prlium contra te, filia Babylon.43 Audivit rex Babylonis famam eorum,et dissolut sunt manus ejus :angustia apprehendit eum,dolor quasi parturientem.44 Ecce quasi leo ascendet,de superbia Jordanis ad pulchritudinem robustam,quia subito currere faciam eum ad illam.Et quis erit electus, quem prponam ei ?quis est enim similis mei ?et quis sustinebit me ?et quis est iste pastor, qui resistat vultui meo ?45 Propterea audite consilium Domini,quod mente concepit adversum Babylonem,et cogitationes ejus,quas cogitavit super terram Chaldorum :nisi detraxerint eos parvuli gregum,nisi dissipatum fuerit cum ipsis habitaculum eorum.46 A voce captivitatis Babylonis commota est terra,et clamor inter gentes auditus est.]