The Humiliation of Babylon

1  רְדִ֣י׀ (Go down), וּשְׁבִ֣י (and sit) עַל־ (in) עָפָ֗ר (the dust),

בְּתוּלַת֙ (O virgin) בַּת־ (daughter) בָּבֶ֔ל (of Babylon),

שְׁבִי־ (Sit) לָאָ֥רֶץ (on the ground); אֵין־ (without) כִּסֵּ֖א (a throne),

בַּת־ (O daughter) כַּשְׂדִּ֑ים (of the Chaldeans)!

כִּ֣י (For) לֹ֤א (no) תוֹסִ֙יפִי֙ (longer) יִקְרְאוּ־ (will they call) לָ֔ךְ (you)

רַכָּ֖ה (tender) וַעֲנֻגָּֽה׃ (and delicate).

2  קְחִ֥י (Take) רֵחַ֖יִם (the millstones), וְטַ֣חֲנִי (and grind) קָ֑מַח (flour).

גַּלִּ֨י (Uncover) צַמָּתֵ֧ךְ (your veil), חֶשְׂפִּי־ (and strip away) שֹׁ֛בֶל (your skirt),

גַּלִּי־ (uncover) שׁ֖וֹק (your thigh),

עִבְרִ֥י (pass over) נְהָרֽוֹת׃ (the rivers).

3  תִּגָּל֙ (Will be uncovered), עֶרְוָתֵ֔ךְ (your nakedness)

גַּ֥ם (indeed), תֵּרָאֶ֖ה (will be seen); חֶרְפָּתֵ֑ךְ (your shame)

נָקָ֣ם (vengeance), אֶקָּ֔ח (I will take)

וְלֹ֥א (and not) אֶפְגַּ֖ע (will I meet) אָדָֽם׃ס (man).

4  גֹּאֲלֵ֕נוּ (Our Redeemer), יְהוָ֥ה (YHWH of) צְבָא֖וֹת (Hosts) שְׁמ֑וֹ (is His name),

קְד֖וֹשׁ (is the Holy One) יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (of Israel).

5  שְׁבִ֥י (Sit) דוּמָ֛ם (in silence), וּבֹ֥אִי (and go) בַחֹ֖שֶׁךְ (into darkness),

בַּת־ (O daughter) כַּשְׂדִּ֑ים (of the Chaldeans),

כִּ֣י (for) לֹ֤א (no) תוֹסִ֙יפִי֙ (longer) יִקְרְאוּ־ (will be called), לָ֔ךְ (you)

גְּבֶ֖רֶת (Queen) מַמְלָכֽוֹת׃ (of Kingdoms).

6  קָצַ֣פְתִּי (I was angry) עַל־ (with) עַמִּ֗י (My people),

חִלַּ֙לְתִּי֙ (I have profaned) נַחֲלָתִ֔י (My heritage),

וָאֶתְּנֵ֖ם (and I have given them) בְּיָדֵ֑ךְ (into your hand).

לֹא־ (Not) שַׂ֤מְתְּ (you appointed) לָהֶם֙ (for them) רַחֲמִ֔ים (acts of mercy);

עַל־ (upon) זָקֵ֕ן (the elderly) הִכְבַּ֥דְתְּ (you made heavy) עֻלֵּ֖ךְ (your yoke) מְאֹֽד׃ (very).

7  וַתֹּ֣אמְרִ֔י (And you said), לְעוֹלָ֖ם (Forever); אֶהְיֶ֣ה (will I be) גְבָ֑רֶת (queen)

עַ֣ד (for) לֹא־ (not) שַׂ֥מְתְּ (did you set) אֵ֙לֶּה֙ (these things) עַל־ (upon) לִבֵּ֔ךְ (your heart),

לֹ֥א (and not) זָכַ֖רְתְּ (consider) אַחֲרִיתָֽהּ׃ס (its end).

8  וְעַתָּ֞ה (And now) שִׁמְעִי־ (hear) זֹ֤את (this),

עֲדִינָה֙ (O luxurious one), הַיּוֹשֶׁ֣בֶת (dwelling) לָבֶ֔טַח (in security),

הָאֹֽמְרָה֙ (the one saying) בִּלְבָ֔בָהּ (in her heart),

אֲנִ֖י (It is I) וְאַפְסִ֣י (and no one) ע֑וֹד (else)

לֹ֤א (not) אֵשֵׁב֙ (will I sit) אַלְמָנָ֔ה (as a widow),

וְלֹ֥א (and not) אֵדַ֖ע (will I know) שְׁכֽוֹל׃ (bereavement);

9  וְתָבֹאנָה֩ (and will come) לָּ֨ךְ (to you) שְׁתֵּי־ (the two things) אֵ֥לֶּה (these) רֶ֛גַע (in a moment)

בְּי֥וֹם (in a day), אֶחָ֖ד (single)

שְׁכ֣וֹל (bereavement), וְאַלְמֹ֑ן (and widowhood).

כְּתֻמָּם֙ (In full measure) בָּ֣אוּ (they will come) עָלַ֔יִךְ (upon you)

בְּרֹ֣ב (in the multitude) כְּשָׁפַ֔יִךְ (of your sorceries),

בְּעָצְמַ֥ת (in the abundance) חֲבָרַ֖יִךְ (of you spells) מְאֹֽד׃ (great).

10  וַתִּבְטְחִ֣י (And For you have trusted) בְרָעָתֵ֗ךְ (in your wickedness);

אָמַרְתְּ֙ (you have said), אֵ֣ין (No one) רֹאָ֔נִי (is seeing me)

חָכְמָתֵ֥ךְ (Your wisdom) וְדַעְתֵּ֖ךְ (and your knowledge), הִ֣יא (it) שׁוֹבְבָ֑תֶךְ (has turned you away)

וַתֹּאמְרִ֣י (so that you have said) בְלִבֵּ֔ךְ (in your heart), אֲנִ֖י (It is I) וְאַפְסִ֥י (and no one) עֽוֹד׃ (else).

11  וּבָ֧א (And will come) עָלַ֣יִךְ (upon you) רָעָ֗ה (evil)

לֹ֤א (and not) תֵדְעִי֙ (will you know) שַׁחְרָ֔הּ (its dawning);

וְתִפֹּ֤ל (and will fall) עָלַ֙יִךְ֙ (upon you) הֹוָ֔ה (disaster)

לֹ֥א (not) תוּכְלִ֖י (will you be able) כַּפְּרָ֑הּ (to wipe it away);

וְתָבֹ֨א (and it will come) עָלַ֧יִךְ (upon you) פִּתְאֹ֛ם (suddenly),

שׁוֹאָ֖ה (devastation) לֹ֥א (that not) תֵדָֽעִי׃ (you do know).

12  עִמְדִי־ (Stand) נָ֤א (now) בַחֲבָרַ֙יִךְ֙ (with your spells),

וּבְרֹ֣ב (and with the multitude) כְּשָׁפַ֔יִךְ (of your sorceries),

בַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר (with which) יָגַ֖עַתְּ (you have labored)

מִנְּעוּרָ֑יִךְ (from your youth);

אוּלַ֛י (Perhaps) תּוּכְלִ֥י (you will be able) הוֹעִ֖יל (to profit),

אוּלַ֥י (perhaps) תַּעֲרֽוֹצִי׃ (you will inspire terror).

13  נִלְאֵ֖ית (You are wearied) בְּרֹ֣ב (by the multitude) עֲצָתָ֑יִךְ (of your counselors).

יַעַמְדוּ־ (Let them stand up), נָ֨א (-) וְיוֹשִׁיעֻ֜ךְ (and save you)

הָבְרוּ (those who divide up), שָׁמַ֗יִם (the heavens), הַֽחֹזִים֙ (those gazing) בַּכּ֣וֹכָבִ֔ים (on the stars),

מֽוֹדִיעִם֙ (declaring), לֶחֳדָשִׁ֔ים (by month) מֵאֲשֶׁ֥ר (what) יָבֹ֖אוּ (will come) עָלָֽיִךְ׃ (upon you).

14  הִנֵּ֨ה (Behold), הָי֤וּ (they have become) כְקַשׁ֙ (like stubble);

אֵ֣שׁ (and the fire) שְׂרָפָ֔תַם (burns them up)

לֹֽא־ (not) יַצִּ֥ילוּ (they will deliver) אֶת־ (-) נַפְשָׁ֖ם (their soul)

מִיַּ֣ד (from the hand) לֶֽהָבָ֑ה (of the flame);

אֵין־ (there is not) גַּחֶ֣לֶת (a coal) לַחְמָ֔ם (to warm)

א֖וּר (nor fire) לָשֶׁ֥בֶת (to sit) נֶגְדּֽוֹ׃ (before it).

15  כֵּ֥ן (Thus) הָיוּ־ (they have become) לָ֖ךְ (to you)

אֲשֶׁ֣ר (those with whom) יָגָ֑עַתְּ (you have labored), סֹחֲרַ֣יִךְ (and traded), מִנְּעוּרַ֗יִךְ (from youth);

אִ֤ישׁ (each man) לְעֶבְרוֹ֙ (in his direction); תָּע֔וּ (they go astray)

אֵ֖ין (none) מוֹשִׁיעֵֽךְ׃ס (can save you).