Read the Bible

⁵ “Daughter Chaldea,
sit in silence^(C1) and go into darkness.
For you will no longer be called mistress of kingdoms.⁶ I was angry with my people;
I profaned my possession,
and I handed them over to you.
You showed them no mercy;
you made your yoke very heavy on the elderly.⁷ You said, ‘I will be the queen forever.’
You did not take these things to heart
or think about their outcome.

⁸ “So now hear this, lover of luxury,
who sits securely,^(C1)
who says to herself,
‘I am, and there is no one else.
I will never be a widow
or know the loss of children.’^(C2)9 These two things will happen to you
suddenly, in one day:
loss of children and widowhood.
They will happen to you in their entirety,
in spite of your many sorceries^(C1)
and the potency of your spells.¹⁰ You were secure in your wickedness;
you said, ‘No one sees me.’^(C1)
Your wisdom and knowledge
led you astray.
You said to yourself,
‘I am, and there is no one else.’¹¹ But disaster will happen to you;
you will not know how to avert it.
And it will fall on you,
but you will be unable to ward it off.^(F1)
Devastation will happen to you suddenly
and unexpectedly.^(C1)

¹² So take your stand with your spells
and your many sorceries,
which you have wearied yourself with from your youth.
Perhaps you will be able to succeed;
perhaps you will inspire terror!¹³ You are worn out with your many consultations.
So let the astrologers stand and save you—
those who observe the stars,^(C1)
those who predict monthly
what will happen to you.¹⁴ Look, they are like stubble;^(C1)
fire burns them.^(C2)
They cannot rescue themselves
from the power^(F1) of the flame.
This is not a coal for warming themselves,
or a fire to sit beside!¹⁵ This is what they are to you—
those who have wearied you
and have traded with you from your youth—
each wanders on his own way;
no one can save you.