As it is with the good,
    so with the sinful;
as it is with those who take oaths,
    so with those who are afraid to take them.^(B)

⁵ For the living know that they will die,
    but the dead know nothing;^(F)
they have no further reward,
    and even their name^(G) is forgotten.^(H)
6 Their love, their hate
    and their jealousy have long since vanished;
never again will they have a part
    in anything that happens under the sun.^(I)

The race is not to the swift
    or the battle to the strong,^(S)
nor does food come to the wise^(T)
    or wealth to the brilliant
    or favor to the learned;
but time and chance^(U) happen to them all.^(V)

As fish are caught in a cruel net,
    or birds are taken in a snare,
so people are trapped by evil times^(W)
    that fall unexpectedly upon them.^(X)

¹⁷ The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded
    than the shouts of a ruler of fools.
¹⁸ Wisdom^(AB) is better than weapons of war,
    but one sinner destroys much good.

³ “Prepare your shields,^(G) both large and small,
    and march out for battle!
⁴ Harness the horses,
    mount the steeds!
Take your positions
    with helmets on!
Polish^(H) your spears,
    put on your armor!^(I)
5 What do I see?
    They are terrified,
they are retreating,
    their warriors are defeated.
They flee^(J) in haste
    without looking back,
    and there is terror^(K) on every side,”
declares the Lord.
⁶ “The swift cannot flee^(L)
    nor the strong escape.
In the north by the River Euphrates^(M)
    they stumble and fall.^(N)

⁷ “Who is this that rises like the Nile,
    like rivers of surging waters?^(O)
8 Egypt rises like the Nile,^(P)
    like rivers of surging waters.
She says, ‘I will rise and cover the earth;
    I will destroy cities and their people.’^(Q)
9 Charge, you horses!
    Drive furiously, you charioteers!^(R)
March on, you warriors—men of Cush^[a](S) and Put who carry shields,
    men of Lydia^(T) who draw the bow.
¹⁰ But that day^(U) belongs to the Lord, the Lord Almighty—
    a day of vengeance^(V), for vengeance on his foes.
The sword will devour^(W) till it is satisfied,
    till it has quenched its thirst with blood.^(X)
For the Lord, the Lord Almighty, will offer sacrifice^(Y)
    in the land of the north by the River Euphrates.^(Z)

¹¹ “Go up to Gilead and get balm,^(AA)
    Virgin^(AB) Daughter Egypt.
But you try many medicines in vain;
    there is no healing^(AC) for you.
¹² The nations will hear of your shame;
    your cries will fill the earth.
One warrior will stumble over another;
    both will fall^(AD) down together.”

¹⁴ “Announce this in Egypt, and proclaim it in Migdol;
    proclaim it also in Memphis^(AG) and Tahpanhes:^(AH)
‘Take your positions and get ready,
    for the sword devours^(AI) those around you.’
¹⁵ Why will your warriors be laid low?
    They cannot stand, for the Lord will push them down.^(AJ)
16 They will stumble^(AK) repeatedly;
    they will fall^(AL) over each other.
They will say, ‘Get up, let us go back
    to our own people^(AM) and our native lands,
    away from the sword of the oppressor.’^(AN)
17 There they will exclaim,
    ‘Pharaoh king of Egypt is only a loud noise;^(AO)
    he has missed his opportunity.^(AP)’

¹⁸ “As surely as I live,” declares the King,^(AQ)
    whose name is the Lord Almighty,
“one will come who is like Tabor^(AR) among the mountains,
    like Carmel^(AS) by the sea.
¹⁹ Pack your belongings for exile,^(AT)
    you who live in Egypt,
for Memphis^(AU) will be laid waste^(AV)
    and lie in ruins without inhabitant.

²⁰ “Egypt is a beautiful heifer,
    but a gadfly is coming
    against her from the north.^(AW)
21 The mercenaries^(AX) in her ranks
    are like fattened calves.^(AY)
They too will turn and flee^(AZ) together,
    they will not stand their ground,
for the day^(BA) of disaster is coming upon them,
    the time^(BB) for them to be punished.
²² Egypt will hiss like a fleeing serpent
    as the enemy advances in force;
they will come against her with axes,
    like men who cut down trees.^(BC)
23 They will chop down her forest,”
declares the Lord,
    “dense though it be.
They are more numerous than locusts,^(BD)
    they cannot be counted.
²⁴ Daughter Egypt will be put to shame,
    given into the hands of the people of the north.^(BE)”

²⁷ “Do not be afraid,^(BM) Jacob^(BN) my servant;^(BO)
    do not be dismayed, Israel.
I will surely save you out of a distant place,
    your descendants from the land of their exile.^(BP)
Jacob will again have peace and security,
    and no one will make him afraid.
²⁸ Do not be afraid, Jacob my servant,
    for I am with you,”^(BQ) declares the Lord.
“Though I completely destroy^(BR) all the nations
    among which I scatter you,
    I will not completely destroy you.
I will discipline you but only in due measure;
    I will not let you go entirely unpunished.”

13 A wise son heeds his father’s instruction,
    but a mocker does not respond to rebukes.^(A)

² From the fruit of their lips people enjoy good things,^(B)
    but the unfaithful have an appetite for violence.

³ Those who guard their lips^(C) preserve their lives,^(D)
    but those who speak rashly will come to ruin.^(E)

⁴ A sluggard’s appetite is never filled,^(F)
    but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.

⁵ The righteous hate what is false,^(G)
    but the wicked make themselves a stench
    and bring shame on themselves.

⁶ Righteousness guards the person of integrity,
    but wickedness overthrows the sinner.^(H)

⁷ One person pretends to be rich, yet has nothing;^(I)
    another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.^(J)

⁸ A person’s riches may ransom their life,
    but the poor cannot respond to threatening rebukes.^(K)

⁹ The light of the righteous shines brightly,
    but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out.^(L)

¹⁰ Where there is strife, there is pride,
    but wisdom is found in those who take advice.^(M)

¹¹ Dishonest money dwindles away,^(N)
    but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.

¹² Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
    but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.^(O)

¹³ Whoever scorns instruction will pay for it,^(P)
    but whoever respects^(Q) a command is rewarded.^(R)

¹⁴ The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,^(S)
    turning a person from the snares of death.^(T)

¹⁵ Good judgment wins favor,
    but the way of the unfaithful leads to their destruction.^[a]

¹⁶ All who are prudent act with^[b] knowledge,
    but fools expose^(U) their folly.^(V)

¹⁷ A wicked messenger falls into trouble,^(W)
    but a trustworthy envoy brings healing.^(X)

¹⁸ Whoever disregards discipline comes to poverty and shame,^(Y)
    but whoever heeds correction is honored.^(Z)

¹⁹ A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul,^(AA)
    but fools detest turning from evil.

²⁰ Walk with the wise and become wise,
    for a companion of fools suffers harm.^(AB)

²¹ Trouble pursues the sinner,^(AC)
    but the righteous^(AD) are rewarded with good things.^(AE)

²² A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children,
    but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.^(AF)

²³ An unplowed field produces food for the poor,
    but injustice sweeps it away.

²⁴ Whoever spares the rod^(AG) hates their children,
    but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline^(AH) them.^(AI)

²⁵ The righteous eat to their hearts’ content,
    but the stomach of the wicked goes hungry.^(AJ)

“‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’^[a](D)
    She has become a dwelling for demons
and a haunt for every impure spirit,^(E)
    a haunt for every unclean bird,
    a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.^(F)
3 For all the nations have drunk
    the maddening wine of her adulteries.^(G)
The kings of the earth committed adultery with her,^(H)
    and the merchants of the earth grew rich^(I) from her excessive luxuries.”^(J)

“‘Come out of her, my people,’^[b](K)
    so that you will not share in her sins,
    so that you will not receive any of her plagues;^(L)
5 for her sins are piled up to heaven,^(M)
    and God has remembered^(N) her crimes.
⁶ Give back to her as she has given;
    pay her back^(O) double^(P) for what she has done.
    Pour her a double portion from her own cup.^(Q)
7 Give her as much torment and grief
    as the glory and luxury she gave herself.^(R)
In her heart she boasts,
    ‘I sit enthroned as queen.
I am not a widow;^[c]
    I will never mourn.’^(S)
8 Therefore in one day^(T) her plagues will overtake her:
    death, mourning and famine.
She will be consumed by fire,^(U)
    for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.

“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,^(AA)
    you mighty city of Babylon!
In one hour^(AB) your doom has come!’

“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,^(AK)
    dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet,
    and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls!^(AL)
17 In one hour^(AM) such great wealth has been brought to ruin!’^(AN)

“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,^(AV)
    where all who had ships on the sea
    became rich through her wealth!
In one hour she has been brought to ruin!’^(AW)

²⁰ “Rejoice over her, you heavens!^(AX)
    Rejoice, you people of God!
    Rejoice, apostles and prophets!
For God has judged her
    with the judgment she imposed on you.”^(AY)

“With such violence
    the great city^(BB) of Babylon will be thrown down,
    never to be found again.
²² The music of harpists and musicians, pipers and trumpeters,
    will never be heard in you again.^(BC)
No worker of any trade
    will ever be found in you again.
The sound of a millstone
    will never be heard in you again.^(BD)
23 The light of a lamp
    will never shine in you again.
The voice of bridegroom and bride
    will never be heard in you again.^(BE)
Your merchants were the world’s important people.^(BF)
    By your magic spell^(BG) all the nations were led astray.
²⁴ In her was found the blood of prophets and of God’s holy people,^(BH)
    of all who have been slaughtered on the earth.”^(BI)

² It is like precious oil poured on the head,^(C)
    running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron’s beard,
    down on the collar of his robe.
³ It is as if the dew^(D) of Hermon^(E)
    were falling on Mount Zion.^(F)
For there the Lord bestows his blessing,^(G)
    even life forevermore.^(H)