耶利米书 51
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
51 耶和华说：
“看啊，我要使毁灭的暴风袭击巴比伦和住在立加米的人。
2 毁灭巴比伦人的日子一到，
我要差遣外族人从四面八方攻击、消灭他们，
如同狂风卷走碎秸。
3 不要让他们的弓箭手有机会射箭，
不要让他们的战士有机会穿铠甲，
不要放过他们的青年，
要使他们全军覆没。
4 他们将被刀剑刺透，
倒毙在自己的土地上，
横尸街头。
5 虽然以色列和犹大充满罪恶，
得罪了他们的圣者，
但他们的上帝——万军之耶和华却没有撇弃他们。
6 “离开巴比伦，各自逃命吧！
不要让她的罪恶连累你们，
以致你们灭亡，
这是耶和华报应她的时候，
耶和华要惩罚她。
7 巴比伦在耶和华手中曾是灌醉天下的金杯，
列国喝了她的酒都变得癫狂。
8 转瞬之间，巴比伦必毁灭。
你们要为她哀悼，
拿药为她止痛，
或许可以治好她。
9 寄居在巴比伦的人说，
‘我们试过了，却没有治好。
我们离开她，各自返回故乡吧！
因为她罪恶滔天，必受审判。
10 耶和华已为我们申冤。
来吧！我们要在锡安述说我们上帝耶和华的作为。’
11 “因为巴比伦人毁灭了耶和华的殿，
耶和华要使玛代诸王毁灭他们。
玛代人啊，
要磨尖箭头，拿起盾牌，
12 竖起旗帜，
攻打巴比伦的城墙；
要加强防卫，
派人巡逻，设下埋伏。
因为耶和华言出必行，
一定要惩罚巴比伦人。
13 住在河边、拥有财宝的巴比伦人啊，
你们的结局到了，
你们的末日来了。”
14 万军之耶和华凭自己起誓说：
“我要使敌人如蝗虫一样铺天盖地而来，
占据你们的家园，
欢呼胜利。”
15 耶和华用自己的能力创造大地，
以自己的智慧建立世界，
凭自己的聪明铺展穹苍。
16 祂一声令下，天上便大水澎湃；
祂使云雾从地极上升，
使闪电在雨中划过，
使风从祂的仓库吹出。
17 世人都愚昧无知，
工匠都因所制的偶像而羞愧，
因为神像没有生命气息，
是虚假的，
18 毫无益处，荒唐可笑，
刑罚一到，必被毁灭。
19 雅各的上帝[a]却迥然不同，
因为祂创造万物，
以色列人是祂的产业，
祂名叫“万军之耶和华”。
20 耶和华说：
“巴比伦啊！你是我的锤子，
我作战的兵器，
我要用你打碎列国，
毁灭列邦。
21 我要用你打碎战马和骑士，
22 打碎战车和车夫，
打碎男人和妇女，
打碎老人和小孩，
打碎少男和少女，
23 打碎牧人和牲畜，
打碎农夫和耕牛，
打碎省长和总督。”
24 耶和华说：“我要当着我子民的面报应巴比伦人[b]，因为他们在锡安犯罪作恶。
25 “毁灭天下的大山——巴比伦啊，
我与你为敌，
我要伸手攻击你，
把你从悬崖上滚下去，
使你化为灰烬。
这是耶和华说的。
26 再无人用你的石头做房角石或基石，
你要永远荒凉。
这是耶和华说的。
27 “要在大地上竖起旌旗，
在列国吹响号角，
让他们预备攻打巴比伦。
要召集亚拉腊人、米尼人、
亚实基拿人，
使他们派遣将领率骑兵如蝗虫一样铺天盖地而来，
攻打巴比伦。
28 要让列国预备攻打巴比伦，
使玛代的诸王及其省长、总督和所统治的人攻打巴比伦。
29 大地要颤抖，痛苦地扭动，
因为耶和华决意要攻击巴比伦，
使她荒无人烟。
30 巴比伦的勇士不再作战，
躲在堡垒里，
士气消沉，像妇女一样无力；
巴比伦的房屋被火焚烧，
城门被攻破。
31 报信的人接踵而来，
向巴比伦王禀告，
‘整座城已失守，
32 渡口被占，
沼泽地被烧，
战士惊慌失措。’”
33 以色列的上帝——万军之耶和华说：
“巴比伦城快要被毁灭了，
它要被夷为平地，
好像被踏平的麦场一样。”
34 以色列人说：
“巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒吞噬我们、击垮我们，
把我们洗劫一空。
他像海怪一样吞吃我们，
饱餐我们的美物，
然后把我们赶走。”
35 锡安的居民说：
“巴比伦人残暴地对待我们，
愿他们受报应。”
耶路撒冷人说：
“愿迦勒底人偿还我们的血债。”
36 耶和华说：
“我的子民啊，
我要为你们申冤，
替你们报仇；
我要使巴比伦的江河枯竭，
泉源干涸。
37 巴比伦必沦为废墟，杳无人迹，
沦为豺狼出没的地方，
令人惊惧、嗤笑。
38 迦勒底人像群狮一样怒吼，
又像幼狮一样咆哮。
39 他们食欲大振时，
我要为他们设盛宴，
使他们酩酊大醉，狂欢乱叫，
长眠不起。
这是耶和华说的。
40 我要把他们像羊羔、
公绵羊和公山羊一样带往宰杀之地。
41 巴比伦[c]怎么沦陷了！
天下引以为傲的怎么被攻占了！
巴比伦的下场让列国恐惧！
42 海水涨溢，汹涌的波涛淹没了巴比伦。
43 她的城邑沦为干旱的荒漠，
杳无人迹。
44 我要惩罚巴比伦的神明彼勒，
使他吐出所吞噬的。
巴比伦的城墙要倒塌，
万国必不再涌向她。
45 “我的子民啊，你们要离开巴比伦，
各自逃命，躲避耶和华的烈怒。
46 境内谣言四起时，
你们不要惊慌害怕，
因为今年传这风声，
明年却传那风声，
说境内必有暴乱，
官长要互相残杀。
47 “看啊，时候将到，我必惩罚巴比伦的神像，
使巴比伦全国蒙羞，
尸横遍野。
48 毁灭者要从北方前来攻击巴比伦，
那时天地万物都要因巴比伦的灭亡而欢呼。
这是耶和华说的。
49 巴比伦必灭亡，
因为她大肆屠杀以色列人和其他各国的人。
50 “刀下逃生的人啊，
你们快走吧！
不要停留！
在远方要记住耶和华，
要追想耶路撒冷。
51 你们说巴比伦人闯入了耶和华殿的圣所，
使你们蒙受耻辱，满面羞愧。
52 “看啊，时候将到，我要惩罚巴比伦的神像，
使巴比伦到处都是受伤者的呻吟。
这是耶和华说的。
53 即使巴比伦城高耸入云，
堡垒坚不可摧，
我仍要差遣毁灭者攻击它。
这是耶和华说的。
54 “从巴比伦——迦勒底人的土地上传来哭喊声和毁灭声，
55 因为耶和华正在毁灭巴比伦，
要使城中的喧嚣变成一片死寂。
毁灭巴比伦的敌人呐喊着如波涛一样涌来。
56 毁灭者正前来攻打巴比伦，
擒拿她的勇士，
折断他们的弓弩。
耶和华是追讨罪恶、
报应恶人的上帝。
57 我要使她的首领、谋士、省长、
总督和勇士都酩酊大醉，
长眠不醒。”
这是君王——万军之耶和华说的。
58 万军之耶和华说：
“巴比伦宽阔的城墙要被夷为平地，
高大的城门要被付之一炬，
人们一切的辛劳都是徒然，
列国劳碌的成果都化为灰烬。”
59-60 耶利米把所有将要发生在巴比伦的灾祸，就是有关巴比伦的事都写在卷轴上。犹大王西底迦执政第四年，玛西雅的孙子、尼利亚的儿子、宫廷总管西莱雅和犹大王一同前往巴比伦的时候， 61 耶利米对西莱雅说：“你到巴比伦后要大声宣读这卷轴上的一切话， 62 并且要说，‘耶和华啊！你曾说要毁灭这地方，使这里人兽绝迹、永远荒凉。’ 63 读完后，你要把卷轴绑在一块石头上，扔进幼发拉底河， 64 然后说，‘耶和华降的灾祸必使巴比伦像这卷轴一样沉没、永不复兴，巴比伦人必灭亡。’”
耶利米的话到此为止。
Yeremiya 51
Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero
51 Yehova akuti,
“Taonani, ndidzadzutsa mphepo yowononga
kuti iwononge Babuloni pamodzi ndi anthu a ku Lebi Kamai.
2 Ndidzatuma alendo ku Babuloni
kudzamupeta ndi kuwononga dziko lake kotheratu.
Iwo adzalimbana naye ku mbali zonse
pa tsiku la masautso ake.
3 Okoka uta musawalekerere
kapena wonyadira chovala chawo chankhondo.
Musawasiye anyamata ake kuti akhale ndi moyo;
koma muwononge ankhondo ake kotheratu.
4 Adzavulazidwa ndi kufera mʼdziko la Babuloni
lomwelo ndi mʼmisewu yawo yomwe.
5 Pakuti Yuda ndi Israeli sanasiyidwe ngati amasiye
ndi Mulungu wawo, Yehova Wamphamvuzonse,
koma ngakhale dziko la Babuloni ndi lodzaza ndi machimo
pamaso pa Woyerayo wa Israeli.
6 “Thawaniko ku Babuloni!
Aliyense apulumutse moyo wake!
Musawonongeke naye pamodzi chifukwa cha machimo ake.
Imeneyi ndi nthawi yoti Yehova amulange;
Yehova adzamulipsira.
7 Babuloni anali ngati chikho cha golide mʼdzanja la Yehova;
kuti aledzeretse dziko lonse lapansi.
Mitundu yambiri ya anthu inamwa vinyo wake;
nʼchifukwa chake tsopano inachita misala.
8 Babuloni wagwa mwadzidzidzi ndi kusweka.
Mulireni!
Mfunireni mankhwala opha ululu wake;
mwina iye nʼkuchira.”
9 Ena anati, “ ‘Ife tinayesa kumupatsa mankhwala Babuloni,
koma sanachire;
tiyeni timusiye ndipo aliyense apite ku dziko la kwawo,
pakuti mlandu wake wafika mpaka mlengalenga,
wafika mpaka kumwamba.’
10 “ ‘Yehova waonetsa poyera kuti ndife osalakwa;
tiyeni tilengeze mu Ziyoni
zimene Yehova Mulungu wathu wachita.’
11 “Yehova wadzutsa mitima ya mafumu a Amedi,
popeza cholinga chake ndi kuwononga Babuloni.
Motero adzalipsira Ababuloni
chifukwa chowononga Nyumba yake.
Ndiye Yehova akuti,
‘Nolani mivi, tengani zishango.’
12 Kwezani mbendera yankhondo kuti muwononge malinga a Babuloni!
Limbitsani oteteza,
ikani alonda pa malo awo,
konzekerani kulalira.
Pakuti Yehova watsimikiza
ndipo adzachitadi zomwe ananena za anthu a ku Babuloni.
13 Inu muli ndi mitsinje yambiri
ndi chuma chambiri.
Koma chimaliziro chanu chafika,
moyo wanu watha.
14 Yehova Wamphamvuzonse analumbira pali Iye mwini kuti:
Ndidzakutumizira adani ochuluka ngati dzombe,
kuti adzakuthire nkhondo ndipo adzafuwula kuonetsa kuti apambana.
15 “Yehova analenga dziko lapansi ndi mphamvu zake;
Iye anapanga dziko lonse ndi nzeru zake
ndipo anayala thambo mwaluso lake.
16 Iye akayankhula, kumamveka mkokomo wamadzi akumwamba.
Iyeyo amabweretsa mitambo kuchokera ku malekezero a dziko lapansi.
Amabweretsa mphenzi pamodzi ndi mvula
ndi kutulutsa mphepo yamkuntho kumalo kumene amasungira.
17 “Anthu onse ndi opusa ndiponso opanda nzeru;
mmisiri aliyense wosula golide akuchita manyazi ndi mafano ake.
Mafano akewo ndi abodza;
alibe moyo mʼkati mwawo.
18 Mafanowo ndi achabechabe, zinthu zosekedwa nazo.
Pamene anthuwo azidzaweruzidwa mafanowo adzawonongedwa.
19 Koma Yehova amene ndi Cholowa cha Yakobo sali ngati mafanowo.
Iyeyu ndi Mlengi wa zinthu zonse,
kuphatikizapo mtundu umene anawusankha kuti ukhale anthu ake.
Dzina lake ndi Yehova Wamphamvuzonse.
20 “Iwe Babuloni ndi ndodo yanga,
chida changa chankhondo.
Ndi iwe ndimaphwanya mitundu ya anthu,
ndi iwe ndimawononga maufumu,
21 ndi iwe ndimaphwanya kavalo ndi wokwerapo,
ndi iwe ndimaphwanya galeta ndi woyendetsa wake.
22 Ndi iwe ndimaphwanya mwamuna ndi mkazi,
ndi iwe ndimaphwanya nkhalamba ndi wachinyamata,
ndi iwe ndimaphwanya mnyamata ndi namwali.
23 Ndi iwe ndimaphwanya mʼbusa ndi ziweto,
ndi iwe ndimaphwanya mlimi ndi ngʼombe,
ndi iwe ndimaphwanya abwanamkubwa ndi atsogoleri a ankhondo.
24 “Inu mukuona ndidzalanga Babuloni ndi onse amene amakhala mʼdziko la Babuloni chifukwa cha zolakwa zonse anachita ku Ziyoni,” akutero Yehova.
25 “Taonani, ndikukuzenga mlandu, iwe phiri lowononga,
amene umawononga dziko lonse lapansi,”
akutero Yehova.
“Ndidzatambalitsa dzanja langa pofuna kukulanga,
kukugubuduzira pansi kuchokera pa matanthwe ako,
ndi kukusandutsa kukhala phiri lopserera.
26 Palibe ngakhale ndi mwala wako umodzi umene anthu adzawutenga
kuti awugwiritse ntchito kumangira nyumba,
chifukwa iwe udzakhala chipululu mpaka muyaya,”
akutero Yehova.
27 “Kwezani mbendera ya nkhondo mʼdziko!
Lizani lipenga pakati pa mitundu ya anthu!
Konzekeretsani mitundu ya anthu kuti ikamuthire nkhondo;
itanani maufumu awa:
Ararati, Mini ndi Asikenazi kuti adzamuthire nkhondo.
Ikani mtsogoleri wankhondo kuti amenyane naye;
tumizani akavalo ochuluka ngati magulu a dzombe.
28 Konzekeretsani mitundu ya anthu.
Amenewa ndiwo mafumu a Amedi,
abwanamkubwa awo, atsogoleri a ankhondo,
ndiponso ankhondo a mayiko amene amawalamulira, kuti idzathire nkhondo Babuloni.
29 Dziko likunjenjemera ndi kunthunthumira,
chifukwa zidzachitikadi zimene Yehova wakonzera Babuloni;
kusakaza dziko la Babuloni
kuti musapezeke wokhalamo.
30 Ankhondo a ku Babuloni aleka kuchita nkhondo;
iwo angokhala mʼmalinga awo.
Mphamvu zawo zatheratu;
ndipo akhala ngati akazi.
Malo ake wokhala atenthedwa;
mipiringidzo ya zipata zake yathyoka.
31 Othamanga akungopezanapezana,
amithenga akungotsatanatsatana
kudzawuza mfumu ya ku Babuloni
kuti alande mzinda wake wonse.
32 Madooko onse alandidwa,
malo onse obisalamo alonda atenthedwa ndi moto,
ndipo ankhondo onse asokonezeka.”
33 Yehova Wamphamvuzonse, Mulungu wa Israeli akuti,
“Babuloni wokongola uja wakhala ngati malo opunthirapo tirigu
pa nthawi yake yopuntha tirigu; A ku Yerusalemu akuti,
Posachedwapa nthawi yake yomukolola ifika.”
34 A ku Yerusalemu akuti, “Nebukadinezara mfumu ya ku Babuloni watiwononga,
watiphwanya,
ndi kutitaya ngati mbiya yopanda kanthu.
Watimeza ngati ngʼona,
wakhuta ndi zakudya zathu zokoma,
kenaka nʼkutilavula.”
35 Anthu a ku Ziyoni anene kuti,
“Zankhanza zimene anatichitira ife ziwabwerere Ababuloni.”
Anthu okhala mu Yerusalemu anene kuti,
“Magazi athu amene anakhetsedwa akhale pa amene akukhala ku Babuloni.”
36 Nʼchifukwa chake Yehova akuti,
“Taona, ndidzakumenyera nkhondo
ndi kukulipsirira;
ndidzawumitsa nyanja yake
ndipo akasupe ake adzaphwa.
37 Motero Babuloni adzasanduka mulu wa nyumba zogumuka,
malo okhala nkhandwe,
malo ochititsa mantha ndi onyozedwa,
malo wopanda aliyense wokhalamo.
38 Anthu ake onse adzabangula ngati mkango,
adzadzuma ngati ana amkango.
39 Ngati achita dyera
ndiye ndidzawakonzera madyerero
ndi kuwaledzeretsa,
kotero kuti adzasangalala,
kenaka nʼkugona tulo mpaka muyaya ndipo sadzadzukanso,”
akutero Yehova.
40 “Ine ndidzawatenga
kuti akaphedwe ngati ana ankhosa onenepa,
ngati nkhosa zazimuna ndi mbuzi.
41 “Ndithu Babuloni walandidwa,
mzinda umene dziko lonse lapansi limanyadira wagwidwa!
Taonani, mmene Babuloni wasandukira chinthu chochititsa mantha
pakati pa mitundu ya anthu!
42 Nyanja yakwera ndi kumiza Babuloni;
mafunde ake okokoma aphimba Babuloni.
43 Mizinda yake yasanduka bwinja,
dziko lowuma ndi lachipululu,
dziko losakhalamo wina aliyense,
dziko losayendamo munthu aliyense.
44 Ndidzalanga Beli mulungu wa Ababuloni,
ndidzamusanzitsa zimene anameza.
Mitundu ya anthu sidzapitanso kwa iye.
Malinga a Babuloni agwa.
45 “Tulukani mʼBabuloni anthu anga!
Pulumutsani miyoyo yanu!
Thawani mkwiyo woopsa wa Yehova.
46 Musataye mtima kapena kuchita mantha
pamene mphekesera zikumveka mʼdziko mwanu.
Chaka ndi chaka pamabuka mphekesera
za ziwawa mʼdziko lapansi,
ndiponso yakuti mfumu yakuti ikuthira nkhondo mfumu ina.
47 Pakuti taonani, nthawi ikubwera ndithu
pamene ndidzalanga mafano a ku Babuloni;
dziko lake lonse lidzachita manyazi
ndi ophedwa ake onse adzakhala ngundangunda pakati pake.
48 Pamenepo kumwamba ndi dziko lapansi ndi zonse zili mʼmenemo
zidzayimba mokondwa chifukwa cha kugwa kwa Babuloni.
Anthu owononga ochokera kumpoto
adzamuthira nkhondo,”
akutero Yehova.
49 “Babuloni anapha anthu ambiri pa dziko lapansi.
Tsono, nawo anthu a ku Babuloni ayenera kuphedwa
chifukwa anapha anthu a ku Yerusalemu.
50 Inu amene munapulumuka ku nkhondo ya Babuloni,
chokani pano ndipo musazengereze!
Kumbukirani Yehova ngakhale muli ku mayiko akutali,
ganizirani za Yerusalemu.”
51 Inu mukuti, “Tikuchita manyazi,
chifukwa tanyozedwa
ndipo nkhope zathu zili ndi manyazi,
chifukwa anthu achilendo alowa
malo opatulika a Nyumba ya Yehova.”
52 Nʼchifukwa chake Yehova akuti,
“Masiku akubwera pamene ndidzalanga mafano ake,
ndipo mʼdziko lake lonse
anthu ovulala adzabuwula.
53 Ngakhale Babuloni atadzikweza mpaka mlengalenga
ndi kulimbitsa nsanja zake,
ndidzatuma anthu owononga kudzamenyana naye,”
akutero Yehova.
54 “Imvani mfuwu wolira kuchokera ku Babuloni.
Imvani phokoso lachiwonongeko chachikulu
kuchokera mʼdziko la Babuloni.
55 Pakuti Yehova akuwononga Babuloni,
ndipo akuthetsa phokoso lake lalikulu.
Mfuwu wa adani ukumveka ngati mkokomo wa madzi ambiri.
Phokoso lawo likunka likwererakwerera.
56 Pakuti wowononga wafika kudzamenyana ndi Babuloni,
ankhondo ake agwidwa,
ndipo mauta awo athyoka.
Paja Yehova ndi Mulungu wobwezera chilango;
adzabwezera kwathunthu.
57 Ndidzaledzeretsa akuluakulu ake pamodzi ndi anzeru ake,
abwanamkubwa ake, atsogoleri a ankhondo pamodzinso ndi ankhondo;
adzagona kwamuyaya osadzukanso,”
akutero Mfumu, amene dzina lake ndi Yehova Wamphamvuzonse.
58 Yehova Wamphamvuzonse akuti,
“Malinga aakulu a Babuloni adzasalazidwa
ndipo zipata zake zazitali zidzatenthedwa;
mitundu ya anthu inangogwira ntchito pachabe.
Anthu anatopa ndi kumanga zimene tsopano zikupsa ndi moto.”
59 Zedekiya mfumu ya Yuda inali ndi phungu wake wamkulu amene dzina lake linali Seraya mwana wa Neriya chidzukulu cha Maseya. Mʼchaka chachinayi cha ulamuliro wake, Zedekiya anapita ndi Seraya ku Babuloni. Tsono mneneri Yeremiya anamupatsirako uthenga Serayayo. 60 Yeremiya anali atalemba mʼbuku za masautso onse amene adzafike pa Babuloni ndi zina zonse zokhudza Babuloni. 61 Yeremiya anawuza Seraya kuti, “Ukakafika ku Babuloni, ukaonetsetse kuti wawawerengera anthu onse mawu onsewa. 62 Ndipo ukanene kuti, ‘Inu Yehova, mwanena kuti mudzawononga malo ano, kotero kuti simudzatsala munthu kapena nyama mʼdziko muno; lidzakhala chipululu mpaka muyaya.’ 63 Ukakatha kuwerenga bukuli, ukalimangirire ku mwala ndipo ukaliponye pakati pa mtsinje wa Yufurate. 64 Ndipo ukanene kuti, ‘Umu ndi mmene adzamirire Babuloni ndipo sadzadzukanso chifukwa cha masautso amene adzamugwere.’ ”
Mawu a Yeremiya athera pamenepa.
Jeremiah 51
New King James Version
The Utter Destruction of Babylon
51 Thus says the Lord:
“Behold, I will raise up against (A)Babylon,
Against those who dwell in [a]Leb Kamai,
(B)A destroying wind.
2 And I will send (C)winnowers to Babylon,
Who shall winnow her and empty her land.
(D)For in the day of doom
They shall be against her all around.
3 Against her (E)let the archer bend his bow,
And lift himself up against her in his armor.
Do not spare her young men;
(F)Utterly destroy all her army.
4 Thus the slain shall fall in the land of the Chaldeans,
(G)And those thrust through in her streets.
5 For Israel is (H)not forsaken, nor Judah,
By his God, the Lord of hosts,
Though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel.”
6 (I)Flee from the midst of Babylon,
And every one save his life!
Do not be cut off in her iniquity,
For (J)this is the time of the Lord’s vengeance;
(K)He shall recompense her.
7 (L)Babylon was a golden cup in the Lord’s hand,
That made all the earth drunk.
(M)The nations drank her wine;
Therefore the nations (N)are deranged.
8 Babylon has suddenly (O)fallen and been destroyed.
(P)Wail for her!
(Q)Take balm for her pain;
Perhaps she may be healed.
9 We would have healed Babylon,
But she is not healed.
Forsake her, and (R)let us go everyone to his own country;
(S)For her judgment reaches to heaven and is lifted up to the skies.
10 The Lord has (T)revealed our righteousness.
Come and let us (U)declare in Zion the work of the Lord our God.
11 (V)Make[b] the arrows bright!
Gather the shields!
(W)The Lord has raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes.
(X)For His plan is against Babylon to destroy it,
Because it is (Y)the vengeance of the Lord,
The vengeance for His temple.
12 (Z)Set up the standard on the walls of Babylon;
Make the guard strong,
Set up the watchmen,
Prepare the ambushes.
For the Lord has both devised and done
What He spoke against the inhabitants of Babylon.
13 (AA)O you who dwell by many waters,
Abundant in treasures,
Your end has come,
The measure of your covetousness.
14 (AB)The Lord of hosts has sworn by Himself:
“Surely I will fill you with men, (AC)as with locusts,
And they shall lift (AD)up a shout against you.”
15 (AE)He has made the earth by His power;
He has established the world by His wisdom,
And (AF)stretched out the heaven by His understanding.
16 When He utters His voice—
There is a multitude of waters in the heavens:
(AG)“He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth;
He makes lightnings for the rain;
He brings the wind out of His treasuries.”
17 (AH)Everyone is dull-hearted, without knowledge;
Every metalsmith is put to shame by the carved image;
(AI)For his molded image is falsehood,
And there is no breath in them.
18 They are futile, a work of errors;
In the time of their punishment they shall perish.
19 The Portion of Jacob is not like them,
For He is the Maker of all things;
And Israel is the tribe of His inheritance.
The Lord of hosts is His name.
20 “You(AJ) are My battle-ax and weapons of war:
For with you I will break the nation in pieces;
With you I will destroy kingdoms;
21 With you I will break in pieces the horse and its rider;
With you I will break in pieces the chariot and its rider;
22 With you also I will break in pieces man and woman;
With you I will break in pieces (AK)old and young;
With you I will break in pieces the young man and the maiden;
23 With you also I will break in pieces the shepherd and his flock;
With you I will break in pieces the farmer and his yoke of oxen;
And with you I will break in pieces governors and rulers.
24 “And(AL) I will repay Babylon
And all the inhabitants of Chaldea
For all the evil they have done
In Zion in your sight,” says the Lord.
25 “Behold, I am against you, (AM)O destroying mountain,
Who destroys all the earth,” says the Lord.
“And I will stretch out My hand against you,
Roll you down from the rocks,
(AN)And make you a burnt mountain.
26 They shall not take from you a stone for a corner
Nor a stone for a foundation,
(AO)But you shall be desolate forever,” says the Lord.
27 (AP)Set up a banner in the land,
Blow the trumpet among the nations!
(AQ)Prepare the nations against her,
Call (AR)the kingdoms together against her:
Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz.
Appoint a general against her;
Cause the horses to come up like the bristling locusts.
28 Prepare against her the nations,
With the kings of the Medes,
Its governors and all its rulers,
All the land of his dominion.
29 And the land will tremble and sorrow;
For every (AS)purpose of the Lord shall be performed against Babylon,
(AT)To make the land of Babylon a desolation without inhabitant.
30 The mighty men of Babylon have ceased fighting,
They have remained in their strongholds;
Their might has failed,
(AU)They became like women;
They have burned her dwelling places,
(AV)The bars of her gate are broken.
31 (AW)One runner will run to meet another,
And one messenger to meet another,
To show the king of Babylon that his city is taken on all sides;
32 (AX)The passages are blocked,
The reeds they have burned with fire,
And the men of war are terrified.
33 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel:
“The daughter of Babylon is (AY)like a threshing floor
When (AZ)it is time to thresh her;
Yet a little while
(BA)And the time of her harvest will come.”
34 “Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon
Has (BB)devoured me, he has crushed me;
He has made me an (BC)empty vessel,
He has swallowed me up like a monster;
He has filled his stomach with my delicacies,
He has spit me out.
35 Let the violence done to me and my flesh be upon Babylon,”
The inhabitant of Zion will say;
“And my blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea!”
Jerusalem will say.
36 Therefore thus says the Lord:
“Behold, (BD)I will plead your case and take vengeance for you.
(BE)I will dry up her sea and make her springs dry.
37 (BF)Babylon shall become a heap,
A dwelling place for jackals,
(BG)An astonishment and a hissing,
Without an inhabitant.
38 They shall roar together like lions,
They shall growl like lions’ whelps.
39 In their excitement I will prepare their feasts;
(BH)I will make them drunk,
That they may rejoice,
And sleep a perpetual sleep
And not awake,” says the Lord.
40 “I will bring them down
Like lambs to the slaughter,
Like rams with male goats.
41 “Oh, how (BI)Sheshach[c] is taken!
Oh, how (BJ)the praise of the whole earth is seized!
How Babylon has become desolate among the nations!
42 (BK)The sea has come up over Babylon;
She is covered with the multitude of its waves.
43 (BL)Her cities are a desolation,
A dry land and a wilderness,
A land where (BM)no one dwells,
Through which no son of man passes.
44 I will punish (BN)Bel[d] in Babylon,
And I will bring out of his mouth what he has swallowed;
And the nations shall not stream to him anymore.
Yes, (BO)the wall of Babylon shall fall.
45 “My(BP) people, go out of the midst of her!
And let everyone deliver [e]himself from the fierce anger of the Lord.
46 And lest your heart faint,
And you fear (BQ)for the rumor that will be heard in the land
(A rumor will come one year,
And after that, in another year
A rumor will come,
And violence in the land,
Ruler against ruler),
47 Therefore behold, the days are coming
That I will bring judgment on the carved images of Babylon;
Her whole land shall be ashamed,
And all her slain shall fall in her midst.
48 Then (BR)the heavens and the earth and all that is in them
Shall sing joyously over Babylon;
(BS)For the plunderers shall come to her from the north,” says the Lord.
49 As Babylon has caused the slain of Israel to fall,
So at Babylon the slain of all the earth shall fall.
50 (BT)You who have escaped the sword,
Get away! Do not stand still!
(BU)Remember the Lord afar off,
And let Jerusalem come to your mind.
51 (BV)We are ashamed because we have heard reproach.
Shame has covered our faces,
For strangers (BW)have come into the [f]sanctuaries of the Lord’s house.
52 “Therefore behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord,
“That I will bring judgment on her carved images,
And throughout all her land the wounded shall groan.
53 (BX)Though Babylon were to [g]mount up to heaven,
And though she were to fortify the height of her strength,
Yet from Me plunderers would come to her,” says the Lord.
54 (BY)The sound of a cry comes from Babylon,
And great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans,
55 Because the Lord is plundering Babylon
And silencing her loud voice,
Though her waves roar like great waters,
And the noise of their voice is uttered,
56 Because the plunderer comes against her, against Babylon,
And her mighty men are taken.
Every one of their bows is broken;
(BZ)For the Lord is the God of recompense,
He will surely repay.
57 “And I will make drunk
Her princes and (CA)wise men,
Her governors, her deputies, and her mighty men.
And they shall sleep a perpetual sleep
And not awake,” says (CB)the King,
Whose name is the Lord of hosts.
58 Thus says the Lord of hosts:
“The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly (CC)broken,[h]
And her high gates shall be burned with fire;
(CD)The people will labor in vain,
And the nations, because of the fire;
And they shall be weary.”
Jeremiah’s Command to Seraiah
59 The word which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of (CE)Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, when he went with Zedekiah the king of Judah to Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. And Seraiah was the quartermaster. 60 So Jeremiah (CF)wrote in a book all the evil that would come upon Babylon, all these words that are written against Babylon. 61 And Jeremiah said to Seraiah, “When you arrive in Babylon and see it, and read all these words, 62 then you shall say, ‘O Lord, You have spoken against this place to cut it off, so that (CG)none shall remain in it, neither man nor beast, but it shall be desolate forever.’ 63 Now it shall be, when you have finished reading this book, (CH)that you shall tie a stone to it and throw it out into the Euphrates. 64 Then you shall say, ‘Thus Babylon shall sink and not rise from the catastrophe that I will bring upon her. And they shall be weary.’ ”
Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 51:1 Lit. The Midst of Those Who Rise Up Against Me; a code word for Chaldea, Babylonia
- Jeremiah 51:11 Polish the arrows!
- Jeremiah 51:41 A code word for Babylon, Jer. 25:26
- Jeremiah 51:44 A Babylonian god
- Jeremiah 51:45 Lit. his soul
- Jeremiah 51:51 holy places
- Jeremiah 51:53 ascend
- Jeremiah 51:58 Lit. laid utterly bare
Chinese Contemporary Bible Copyright © 1979, 2005, 2007, 2011 by Biblica® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Word of God in Contemporary Chichewa Copyright © 2002, 2016 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide. Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Mwini © 2002, 2016 ndi Biblica, Inc.® Kugwiritsa ntchito mwachilolezo. Umwini ndi otetezedwa pa dziko lonse.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
