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¹ Come down and sit on the dust, virgin daughter of Babylon!
    Sit on the ground without a throne, daughter of Chaldea!
For they shall no longer call^[a] you tender and delicate.
²     Take the pair of mill stones and grind flour!
Uncover your veil,
    strip off your skirt,
uncover your thigh,
    pass through the rivers!
³ Your nakedness shall be exposed;
    indeed, your shame shall become visible.
I will take vengeance
    and I will not spare^[b] a person.

⁵ Sit silently and go into the darkness, daughter of Chaldea,
    for they shall no longer call^[c] you mistress of kingdoms.
⁶ I was angry with my people;
    I profaned my inheritance,
and I gave them into your hand.
    You did not give^[d] them mercy;
on the aged you made your yoke very heavy.
⁷     And you said, "I shall be an eternal mistress forever!"
You did not set these things upon your heart;
    you did not remember its end.
⁸ Therefore now hear this, luxuriant one who sits^[e] in security,
    who says^[f] in her heart, "I am, and besides me there is no one.
I shall not sit as a widow,
    and I shall not know the loss of children."
⁹ And these two shall come to you in a moment, in one day:
    the loss of children and widowhood shall come on you completely,^[g]
in spite of your many sorceries,
    in spite of the power of your great enchantments.
¹⁰ And you felt secure in your wickedness;
    you said, "No one^[h] sees^[i] me."
Your wisdom and your knowledge led you astray,
    and you said in your heart, "I am, and besides me there is no one."
¹¹ And evil shall come upon you, you will not know;
    it will be on the lookout for her.
And disaster shall fall upon you; you will not be able to avert^[j] it.
    And ruin shall come on you suddenly; you do not know.
¹² Stand, now, in your enchantments,
    and in your many sorceries with which you have labored from your youth.
Perhaps you may be able to benefit;
    perhaps you may scare away.^[k]
13 You struggle with your many consultations;^[l]
    let them stand, now, and save you—
those who see the stars, divide the celestial sphere,^[m]
    who inform by new moons—
        from those things that are coming upon you.
¹⁴ Look! They are like stubble;
    the fire burns them completely.
        They cannot deliver themselves^[n] from the power^[o] of the flame;
there is no coal for warming oneself,^[p]
    no fire before which to sit.
¹⁵ So are to you those with whom you have labored,
    your traders from your youth.
They wander, each to his side;
    there is no one who can save you.