Read Isaiah chapter 47 (Contemporary English Version) on maBible, the Bible online. In this chapter: Babylon Will Fall, The Lord said:.
Babylon Will Fall
The Lord said:
1 City of Babylon,
You are delicate
and untouched,
but that will change.
Surrender your royal power
and sit in the dirt.
2 Start grinding grain!
Take off your veil.
Strip off your fancy clothes
and wade across rivers.
3 You will suffer the shame
of going naked,
because I will take revenge,
and no one can escape.
4 I am the Lord All-Powerful,
the holy God of Israel.
I am their Savior.
5 Babylon, be silent!
Sit in the dark.
No longer will nations
accept you as their queen.
6 I was angry with my people.
So I let you take their land
and bring disgrace on them.
You showed them no mercy,
but were especially cruel
to those who were old.
7 You thought that you
would be queen forever.
You didn't care what you did;
it never entered your mind
that you might get caught.
8 You think that you alone
are all-powerful,
that you won't be a widow
or lose your children.
All you care about is pleasure,
but listen to what I say.
9 Your magic powers and charms
will suddenly fail,
then you will be a widow
and lose your children.
10 You hid behind evil
like a shield and said,
“No one can see me!”
You were fooled by your wisdom
and your knowledge;
you felt sure that you alone
were in full control.
11 But without warning,
disaster will strike—
and your magic charms
won't help at all.
12 Keep using your magic powers
and your charms
as you have always done.
Maybe—just maybe—
you will frighten somebody!
13 You have worn yourself out,
asking for advice
from those who study the stars
and tell the future
month after month.
Go ask them how to be saved
from what will happen.
14 People who trust the stars
are as helpless as straw
in a flaming fire.
No one can even keep warm,
sitting by a fire
that feeds only on straw.
15 These are the fortunetellers
you have done business with
all of your life.
But they don't know
where they are going,
and they can't save you.
Chapter themes
Assise dans la poussière — Descends et assieds-toi dans la poussière
Vierge, fille de Babylone — fille de Babylone!
Fille des Babyloniens — fille des Babyloniens!
Privée de trône — Assieds-toi par terre faute de trône
Délicate et raffinée — on ne t'appellera plus délicate et raffinée
Tourner la meule — mouds de la farine
La nudité de la honte — découvre tes jambes
Assise en silence — Assieds-toi en silence
Souveraine des royaumes — souveraine des royaumes
L'orgueil de la reine — fille des Babyloniens
Ne plus être appelée — on ne t'appellera plus
La colère de Dieu — J'étais irrité contre mon peuple
Aucune compassion — tu n'as montré aucune compassion pour eux
Le vieillard écrasé — même au vieillard tu as très lourdement fait ressentir ta domination
«Je serai toujours souveraine» — Tu disais: «Je serai toujours souveraine»
Ne pas penser à la fin — tu ne t'es pas rappelé que cela prendrait fin
Réduite au silence — à tel point que tu n'as rien pris de tout cela à cœur
La reine des royaumes — Je serai toujours souveraine
Amatrice de plaisirs — amatrice de plaisirs
Il n'y a que moi — Il n'y a que moi et personne d'autre!
Jamais veuve — Je ne serai jamais veuve
Deuil et veuvage — la perte d'enfants et le veuvage
En un instant — en un instant, en un seul jour
Un coup irrésistible — Elles te frapperont de plein fouet
Sorcelleries impuissantes — malgré tous tes rites de sorcellerie
Confiance dans le mal — Tu avais confiance dans ta méchanceté
Personne ne me voit — tu disais: «Personne ne me voit!»
Ta sagesse t'a égarée — Ce sont ta sagesse et ton savoir qui t'ont égarée
Sécurité et festins — Tu avais confiance… (Ésaïe 47.8 : «toi qui vis dans les plaisirs, en sécurité»)
Notes and references
47.1-15 Is 13.1—14.23; Jr 50.1—51.64.
Strip … rivers: This may be a command to get ready for work that requires wading in the river, or it may be a warning that they are going to be taken away as slaves.