1 This is the word the LORD spoke through Jeremiah the prophet concerning Babylon and the land of the Babylonians ":2 "Announce and proclaim among the nations, lift up a banner and proclaim it; keep nothing back, but say, 'Babylon will be captured; Bel will be put to shame, Marduk filled with terror. Her images will be put to shame and her idols filled with terror.'3 A nation from the north will attack her and lay waste her land. No one will live in it; both people and animals will flee away.4 "In those days, at that time," declares the LORD, "the people of Israel and the people of Judah together will go in tears to seek the LORD their God.5 They will ask the way to Zion and turn their faces toward it. They will come and bind themselves to the LORD in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten.6 "My people have been lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray and caused them to roam on the mountains. They wandered over mountain and hill and forgot their own resting place.7 Whoever found them devoured them; their enemies said, 'We are not guilty, for they sinned against the LORD, their verdant pasture, the LORD, the hope of their ancestors.'8 "Flee out of Babylon; leave the land of the Babylonians, and be like the goats that lead the flock.9 For I will stir up and bring against Babylon an alliance of great nations from the land of the north. They will take up their positions against her, and from the north she will be captured. Their arrows will be like skilled warriors who do not return empty-handed.10 So Babylonia "will be plundered; all who plunder her will have their fill," declares the LORD.11 "Because you rejoice and are glad, you who pillage my inheritance, because you frolic like a heifer threshing grain and neigh like stallions,12 your mother will be greatly ashamed; she who gave you birth will be disgraced. She will be the least of the nations — a wilderness, a dry land, a desert.13 Because of the LORD's anger she will not be inhabited but will be completely desolate. All who pass Babylon will be appalled; they will scoff because of all her wounds.14 "Take up your positions around Babylon, all you who draw the bow. Shoot at her! Spare no arrows, for she has sinned against the LORD.15 Shout against her on every side! She surrenders, her towers fall, her walls are torn down. Since this is the vengeance of the LORD, take vengeance on her; do to her as she has done to others.16 Cut off from Babylon the sower, and the reaper with his sickle at harvest. Because of the sword of the oppressor let everyone return to their own people, let everyone flee to their own land.17 "Israel is a scattered flock that lions have chased away. The first to devour them was the king of Assyria; the last to crush their bones was Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon."18 Therefore this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: "I will punish the king of Babylon and his land as I punished the king of Assyria.19 But I will bring Israel back to their own pasture, and they will graze on Carmel and Bashan; their appetite will be satisfied on the hills of Ephraim and Gilead.20 In those days, at that time," declares the LORD, "search will be made for Israel's guilt, but there will be none, and for the sins of Judah, but none will be found, for I will forgive the remnant I spare.21 "Attack the land of Merathaim and those who live in Pekod. Pursue, kill and completely destroy "them," declares the LORD. "Do everything I have commanded you.22 The noise of battle is in the land, the noise of great destruction!23 How broken and shattered is the hammer of the whole earth! How desolate is Babylon among the nations!24 I set a trap for you, Babylon, and you were caught before you knew it; you were found and captured because you opposed the LORD.25 The LORD has opened his arsenal and brought out the weapons of his wrath, for the Sovereign LORD Almighty has work to do in the land of the Babylonians.26 Come against her from afar. Break open her granaries; pile her up like heaps of grain. Completely destroy her and leave her no remnant.27 Kill all her young bulls; let them go down to the slaughter! Woe to them! For their day has come, the time for them to be punished.28 Listen to the fugitives and refugees from Babylon declaring in Zion how the LORD our God has taken vengeance, vengeance for his temple.29 "Summon archers against Babylon, all those who draw the bow. Encamp all around her; let no one escape. Repay her for her deeds; do to her as she has done. For she has defied the LORD, the Holy One of Israel.30 Therefore, her young men will fall in the streets; all her soldiers will be silenced in that day," declares the LORD.31 "See, I am against you, you arrogant one," declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty, "for your day has come, the time for you to be punished.32 The arrogant one will stumble and fall and no one will help her up; I will kindle a fire in her towns that will consume all who are around her."33 This is what the LORD Almighty says: "The people of Israel are oppressed, and the people of Judah as well. All their captors hold them fast, refusing to let them go.34 Yet their Redeemer is strong; the LORD Almighty is his name. He will vigorously defend their cause so that he may bring rest to their land, but unrest to those who live in Babylon.35 "A sword against the Babylonians!" declares the LORD — "against those who live in Babylon and against her officials and wise men!36 A sword against her false prophets! They will become fools. A sword against her warriors! They will be filled with terror.37 A sword against her horses and chariots and all the foreigners in her ranks! They will become weaklings. A sword against her treasures! They will be plundered.38 A drought on "her waters! They will dry up. For it is a land of idols, idols that will go mad with terror.39 "So desert creatures and hyenas will live there, and there the owl will dwell. It will never again be inhabited or lived in from generation to generation.40 As I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah along with their neighboring towns," declares the LORD, "so no one will live there; no people will dwell in it.41 "Look! An army is coming from the north; a great nation and many kings are being stirred up from the ends of the earth.42 They are armed with bows and spears; they are cruel and without mercy. They sound like the roaring sea as they ride on their horses; they come like men in battle formation to attack you, Daughter Babylon.43 The king of Babylon has heard reports about them, and his hands hang limp. Anguish has gripped him, pain like that of a woman in labor.44 Like a lion coming up from Jordan's thickets to a rich pastureland, I will chase Babylon from its land in an instant. Who is the chosen one I will appoint for this? Who is like me and who can challenge me? And what shepherd can stand against me?"45 Therefore, hear what the LORD has planned against Babylon, what he has purposed against the land of the Babylonians: The young of the flock will be dragged away; their pasture will be appalled at their fate.46 At the sound of Babylon's capture the earth will tremble; its cry will resound among the nations.

1 الكلمة التي تكلم بها الرب عن بابل وعن ارض الكلدانيين على يد ارميا النبي2 اخبروا في الشعوب وأسمعوا وارفعوا راية. أسمعوا لا تخفوا. قولوا أخذت بابل خزي بيل. انسحق مرودخ. خزيت اوثانها انسحقت اصنامها3 لانه قد طلعت عليها امة من الشمال هي تجعل ارضها خربة فلا يكون فيها ساكن. من انسان الى حيوان هربوا وذهبوا4 في تلك الايام وفي ذلك الزمان يقول الرب يأتي بنو اسرائيل هم وبنو يهوذا معا يسيرون سيرا ويبكون ويطلبون الرب الههم.5 يسألون عن طريق صهيون ووجوههم الى هناك قائلين هلم فنلصق بالرب بعهد ابدي لا ينسى.6 كان شعبي خرافا ضالة. قد اضلتهم رعاتهم. على الجبال اتاهوهم ساروا من جبل الى اكمة. نسوا مربضهم.7 كل الذين وجدوهم اكلوهم وقال مبغضوهم لا نذنب من اجل انهم اخطأوا الى الرب مسكن البر ورجاء آبائهم الرب.8 اهربوا من وسط بابل واخرجوا من ارض الكلدانيين وكونوا مثل كراريز امام الغنم9 لاني هانذا اوقظ واصعد على بابل جمهور شعوب عظيمة من ارض الشمال فيصطفون عليها. من هناك تؤخذ. نبالهم كبطل مهلك لا يرجع فارغا.10 وتكون ارض الكلدانيين غنيمة. كل مغتنميها يشبعون يقول الرب.11 لانكم قد فرحتم وشمتم يا ناهبي ميراثي وقفزتم كعجلة في الكلإ وصهلتم كخيل12 تخزى امكم جدا. تخجل التي ولدتكم. ها آخرة الشعوب برية وارض ناشفة وقفر.13 بسبب سخط الرب لا تسكن بل تصير خربة بالتمام. كل مار ببابل يتعجب ويصفر بسبب كل ضرباتها.14 اصطفوا على بابل حواليها يا جميع الذين ينزعون في القوس. ارموا عليها. لا توفروا السهام لانها قد اخطأت الى الرب.15 اهتفوا عليها حواليها. قد اعطت يدها. سقطت أسسها نقضت اسوارها. لانها نقمة الرب هي فانقموا منها. كما فعلت افعلوا بها.16 اقطعوا الزارع من بابل وماسك المنجل في وقت الحصاد. من وجه السيف القاسي يرجعون كل واحد الى شعبه ويهربون كل واحد الى ارضه17 اسرائيل غنم متبددة. قد طردته السباع. اولا اكله ملك اشور ثم هذا الاخير نبوخذراصر ملك بابل هرس عظامه.18 لذلك هكذا قال رب الجنود اله اسرائيل. هانذا اعاقب ملك بابل وارضه كما عاقبت ملك اشور.19 وارد اسرائيل الى مسكنه فيرعى كرمل وباشان وفي جبل افرايم وجلعاد تشبع نفسه.20 في تلك الايام وفي ذلك الزمان يقول الرب يطلب اثم اسرائيل فلا يكون وخطية يهوذا فلا توجد لاني اغفر لمن ابقيه21 اصعد على ارض مراثايم. عليها وعلى سكان فقود. اخرب وحرم وراءهم يقول الرب وافعل حسب كل ما امرتك به.22 صوت حرب في الارض وانحطام عظيم.23 كيف قطعت وتحطمت مطرقة كل الارض. كيف صارت بابل خربة بين الشعوب.24 قد نصبت لك شركا فعلقت يا بابل وانت لم تعرفي. قد وجدت وأمسكت لانك قد خاصمت الرب.25 فتح الرب خزانته واخرج آلات رجزه لان للسيد رب الجنود عملا في ارض الكلدانيين.26 هلم اليها من الاقصى. افتحوا اهرائها. كوّموها عراما وحرّموها ولا تكن لها بقية.27 اهلكوا كل عجولها. لتنزل للذبح. ويل لهم لانه قد اتى يومهم زمان عقابهم.28 صوت هاربين وناجين من ارض بابل ليخبروا في صهيون بنقمة الرب الهنا نقمة هيكله.29 ادعوا الى بابل اصحاب القسي. لينزل عليها كل من ينزع في القوس حواليها. لا يكن ناج كافئوها نظير عملها. افعلوا فيها حسب كل ما فعلت. لانها بغت على الرب على قدوس اسرائيل.30 لذلك يسقط شبانها في الشوارع وكل رجال حربها يهلكون في ذلك اليوم يقول الرب.31 هانذا عليك ايتها الباغية يقول السيد رب الجنود لانه قد أتى يومك حين عقابي اياك.32 فيعثر الباغي ويسقط ولا يكون له من يقيمه واشعل نارا في مدنه فتاكل كل ما حواليها33 هكذا قال رب الجنود ان بني اسرائيل وبني يهوذا معا مظلومون وكل الذين سبوهم امسكوهم. ابوا ان يطلقوهم.34 وليهم قوي. رب الجنود اسمه. يقيم دعواهم لكي يريح الارض ويزعج سكان بابل.35 سيف على الكلدانيين يقول الرب وعلى سكان بابل وعلى رؤسائها وعلى حكمائها.36 سيف على المخادعين فيصيرون حمقا. سيف على ابطالها فيرتعبون.37 سيف على خيلها وعلى مركباتها وعلى كل اللفيف الذي في وسطها فيصيرون نساء. سيف على خزائنها فتنهب.38 حرّ على مياهها فتنشف لانها ارض منحوتات هي وبالاصنام تجنّ.39 لذلك تسكن وحوش القفر مع بنات آوى وتسكن فيها رعال النعام ولا تسكن بعد الى الابد ولا تعمر الى دور فدور.40 كقلب الله سدوم وعمورة ومجاوراتها يقول الرب لا يسكن هناك انسان ولا يتغرب فيها ابن آدم.41 هوذا شعب مقبل من الشمال وامة عظيمة ويوقظ ملوك كثيرون من اقاصي الارض.42 يمسكون القوس والرمح. هم قساة لا يرحمون. صوتهم يعج كبحر وعلى خيل يركبون مصطفين كرجل واحد لمحاربتك يا بنت بابل.43 سمع ملك بابل خبرهم فارتخت يداه. اخذته الضيقة والوجع كماخض44 ها هو يصعد كأسد من كبرياء الاردن الى مرعى دائم. لاني اغمز واجعلهم يركضون عنه. فمن هو منتخب فاقيمه عليه. لانه من مثلي ومن يحاكمني ومن هو الراعي الذي يقف امامي.45 لذلك اسمعوا مشورة الرب التي قضى بها على بابل وافكاره التي افتكر بها على ارض الكلدانيين. ان صغار الغنم تسحبهم. انه يخرب مسكنهم عليهم.46 من القول أخذت بابل رجفت الارض وسمع صراخ في الشعوب