“How the oppressor has come to an end!
    How the attacker^[i] has ceased!
⁵ The Lord has broken the staff of the wicked,
    the scepter of rulers,
⁶ that struck down peoples in anger
    with unceasing blows,
that oppressed nations in fury
    with relentless persecution.
⁷ The entire earth is at rest and peace;
    its inhabitants^[j] break into song.
⁸ Even the cypresses rejoice over you,
    as do^[k] the cedars of Lebanon, saying,
‘Now that you’ve been laid low,
    no woodcutter comes up against us.’^[l]

⁹ “The afterlife^[m] below is all astir
    to meet you when you arrive;^[n]
it rouses up the spirits of the dead to greet you—
    everyone who used to be world leaders.
It has raised up from their thrones
    all who used to be kings of the nations.
¹⁰ In answer, all of them^[o] will tell you,
    ‘You’ve also become as weak as we are!
You have become just like us!’
¹¹ Your^[p] pomp has been brought down to Sheol,^[q]
    along with the noise of your harps.
Maggots are spread out beneath you,
    and worms are your covering.”^[r]

¹⁶ “Those who see you will stare at you.
    They will wonder about you:
‘Is this the man who^[z] made the earth tremble,
    who made kingdoms quake,
¹⁷ who made the world like a desert,
    who^[aa] destroyed its cities,
        who would not open the jails for his prisoners?’
¹⁸ All the kings of the nations lie^[ab] in state,
    each in his own tomb.
¹⁹ But you are cast away from your grave,
    like a repulsive branch,
your clothing is the slain,
    those pierced by the sword;
        those who go down to the Pit.^[ac]
Like a dead body trampled underfoot,
²⁰ you will not be united^[ad] with them^[ae] in burial,
for you have destroyed your land,
    you have slain your people.
People will never mention
    the descendants of those who practice evil again!^[af]
21 Prepare a massacre for his sons
    because of the guilt of their forefathers!
They are not to rise and inherit the earth,
    and cover^[ag] the surface of the world with cities.”

²⁴ The Lord of the Heavenly Armies has sworn:

“Surely as I have planned,
    that’s what she^[al] will become;^[am]
and just as I have determined,
    so will it remain—
²⁵ to crush the Assyrian in my land,
    and on my mountains I will trample him down.
His yoke^[an] will turn away from you,^[ao]
    and his burden from your^[ap] shoulders.”

²⁶ “This is what I’ve planned
    for the whole earth,
and this is the hand that is stretched out
    over all the nations.
²⁷ For the Lord of the Heavenly Armies has planned,
    and who can thwart him?
His hand is stretched out,
    and who can turn it back?”

²⁹ “Don’t rejoice, all of you Philistines,
    that the rod that struck you is broken,
because from the snake’s root a viper will spring up,
    and its offspring^[ar] will be a darting, poisonous serpent.
³⁰ The firstborn of the poor will find pasture,
    and the needy will lie down in safety;
but I’ll kill your root^[as] by famine,
    and I’ll^[at] execute your survivors.
³¹ Wail, you gate!
    Cry out, you city!
        Melt away,^[au] all you Philistines!
For smoke comes from the north,
    and there’s no one to take measure^[av] in its festivals.^[aw]
32 How will they^[ax] answer the messengers of the nation?
    “The Lord has founded Zion,
        and in it^[ay] the afflicted among his people will find refuge.”