²⁷ Like cages full of birds,
    their houses are full of deceit;^(A)
they have become rich^(B) and powerful

“‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’^[a](A)
    She has become a dwelling for demons
and a haunt for every impure spirit,^(B)
    a haunt for every unclean bird,
    a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.^(C)

⁹ “Woe to him who builds^(A) his house by unjust gain,^(B)
    setting his nest^(C) on high
    to escape the clutches of ruin!
¹⁰ You have plotted the ruin^(D) of many peoples,
    shaming^(E) your own house and forfeiting your life.
¹¹ The stones^(F) of the wall will cry out,
    and the beams of the woodwork will echo it.

⁴ Hear this, you who trample the needy
    and do away with the poor^(A) of the land,^(B)

“When will the New Moon^(C) be over
    that we may sell grain,
and the Sabbath be ended
    that we may market^(D) wheat?”^(E)—
skimping on the measure,
    boosting the price
    and cheating^(F) with dishonest scales,^(G)
6 buying the poor^(H) with silver
    and the needy for a pair of sandals,
    selling even the sweepings with the wheat.^(I)

⁷ The merchant uses dishonest scales^(A)
    and loves to defraud.
⁸ Ephraim boasts,^(B)
    “I am very rich; I have become wealthy.^(C)
With all my wealth they will not find in me
    any iniquity or sin.”

⁶ You^[a] live in the midst of deception;^(A)
    in their deceit they refuse to acknowledge me,”
declares the Lord.

¹¹ If they say, “Come along with us;
    let’s lie in wait^(A) for innocent blood,
    let’s ambush some harmless soul;
¹² let’s swallow^(B) them alive, like the grave,
    and whole, like those who go down to the pit;^(C)
13 we will get all sorts of valuable things
    and fill our houses with plunder;