¹² I will make people scarcer than gold—
    more rare than the fine gold of Ophir.

⁶ Therefore, a curse consumes the earth.
    Its people must pay the price for their sin.
They are destroyed by fire,
    and only a few are left alive.

⁹ Happy is the one who takes your babies
    and smashes them against the rocks!

¹⁶ It’s worth more than all the gold of Ophir,
    greater than precious onyx or lapis lazuli.

¹⁵ Anyone who is captured will be cut down—
    run through with a sword.
¹⁶ Their little children will be dashed to death before their eyes.
    Their homes will be sacked, and their wives will be raped.

¹⁷ “Look, I will stir up the Medes against Babylon.
    They cannot be tempted by silver
    or bribed with gold.
¹⁸ The attacking armies will shoot down the young men with arrows.
    They will have no mercy on helpless babies
    and will show no compassion for children.”