Babylon's Capture
1 This is the message that the Lord gave me about the city of Babylon and its people:
2 “Tell the news to the nations! Proclaim it!
Give the signal and announce the news!
Do not keep it a secret!
Babylon has fallen!
Her god Marduk has been shattered!
Babylon's idols are put to shame;
her disgusting images are crushed!
3 “A nation from the north has come to attack Babylonia and will make it a desert. People and animals will run away, and no one will live there.”
Israel's Return
4 The Lord says, “When that time comes, the people of both Israel and Judah will come weeping, looking for me, their God. 5 They will ask the way to Zion and then go in that direction. They will make an eternal covenant with me and never break it.
6 “My people are like sheep whose shepherds have let them get lost in the mountains. They have wandered like sheep from one mountain to another, and they have forgotten where their home is. 7 They are attacked by all who find them. Their enemies say, ‘They sinned against the Lord, and so what we have done is not wrong. Their ancestors trusted in the Lord, and they themselves should have remained faithful to him.’
8 “People of Israel, run away from Babylonia! Leave the country! Be the first to leave! 9 I am going to stir up a group of strong nations in the north and make them attack Babylonia. They will line up in battle against the country and conquer it. They are skillful hunters, shooting arrows that never miss the mark. 10 Babylonia will be looted, and those who loot it will take everything they want. I, the Lord, have spoken.”
Babylon's Fall
11 The Lord says, “People of Babylonia, you plundered my nation. You are happy and glad, going about like a cow threshing grain or like a neighing horse, 12 but your own great city will be humiliated and disgraced. Babylonia will be the least important nation of all; it will become a dry and waterless desert. 13 Because of my anger no one will live in Babylon; it will be left in ruins, and all who pass by will be shocked and amazed.
14 “Archers, line up for battle against Babylon and surround it. Shoot all your arrows at Babylon, because it has sinned against me, the Lord. 15 Raise the war cry all around the city! Now Babylon has surrendered. Its walls have been broken through and torn down. I am taking my revenge on the Babylonians. So take your revenge on them, and treat them as they have treated others. 16 Do not let seeds be planted in that country nor let a harvest be gathered. Every foreigner living there will be afraid of the attacking army and will go back home.”
Israel's Return
17 The Lord says, “The people of Israel are like sheep, chased and scattered by lions. First, they were attacked by the emperor of Assyria, and then King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia gnawed on their bones. 18 Because of this, I, the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, will punish King Nebuchadnezzar and his country, just as I punished the emperor of Assyria. 19 I will restore the people of Israel to their land. They will eat the food that grows on Mount Carmel and in the region of Bashan, and they will eat all they want of the crops that grow in the territories of Ephraim and Gilead. 20 When that time comes, no sin will be found in Israel and no wickedness in Judah, because I will forgive those people whose lives I have spared. I, the Lord, have spoken.”
God's Judgment on Babylonia
21 The Lord says, “Attack the people of Merathaim and of Pekod. Kill and destroy them. Do everything I command you. I, the Lord, have spoken. 22 The noise of battle is heard in the land, and there is great destruction. 23 Babylonia hammered the whole world to pieces, and now that hammer is shattered! All the nations are shocked at what has happened to that country. 24 Babylonia, you fought against me, and you have been caught in the trap I set for you, even though you did not know it. 25 I have opened the place where my weapons are stored, and in my anger I have taken them out, because I, the Sovereign Lord Almighty, have work to do in Babylonia. 26 Attack it from every side and break open the places where its grain is stored! Pile up the loot like piles of grain! Destroy the country! Leave nothing at all! 27 Kill all their soldiers! Slaughter them! The people of Babylonia are doomed! The time has come for them to be punished!”
( 28 Refugees escape from Babylonia and come to Jerusalem, and they tell how the Lord our God took revenge for what the Babylonians had done to his Temple.)
29 “Tell the archers to attack Babylon. Send out everyone who knows how to use the bow and arrow. Surround the city and don't let anyone escape. Pay it back for all it has done, and treat it as it has treated others, because it acted with pride against me, the Holy One of Israel. 30 So its young men will be killed in the city streets, and all its soldiers will be destroyed on that day. I, the Lord, have spoken.
31 “Babylonia, you are filled with pride, so I, the Sovereign Lord Almighty, am against you! The time has come for me to punish you. 32 Your proud nation will stumble and fall, and no one will help you up. I will set your cities on fire, and everything around will be destroyed.”
33 The Lord Almighty says, “The people of Israel and of Judah are oppressed. All who captured them are guarding them closely and will not let them go. 34 But the one who will rescue them is strong—his name is the Lord Almighty. He himself will take up their cause and will bring peace to the earth, but trouble to the people of Babylonia.”
35 The Lord says,
“Death to Babylonia!
Death to its people,
to its rulers, to its people of wisdom.
36 Death to its lying prophets—
what fools they are!
Death to its soldiers—
how terrified they are!
37 Destroy its horses and chariots!
Death to its hired soldiers—
how weak they are!
Destroy its treasures;
plunder and loot.
38 Bring a drought on its land
and dry up its rivers.
Babylonia is a land of terrifying idols
that have made fools of the people.
39 “And so Babylon will be haunted by demons and evil spirits, and by unclean birds. Never again will people live there, not for all time to come. 40 The same thing will happen to Babylon that happened to Sodom and Gomorrah, when I destroyed them and the nearby towns. No one will ever live there again. I, the Lord, have spoken.
41 “People are coming from a country in the north,
a mighty nation far away;
many kings are preparing for war.
42 They have taken their bows and swords;
they are cruel and merciless.
They sound like the roaring sea,
as they ride their horses.
They are ready for battle against Babylonia.
43 The king of Babylonia hears the news,
and his hands hang limp.
He is seized by anguish,
by pain like a woman in labor.
44 “Like a lion coming out of the thick woods along the Jordan up to the green pasture land, I, the Lord, will come and make the Babylonians run away suddenly from their city. Then the leader I choose will rule the nation. Who can be compared to me? Who would dare challenge me? What ruler could oppose me? 45 So listen to the plan that I have made against the city of Babylon and to what I intend to do to its people. Even their children will be dragged off, and everyone will be horrified. 46 When Babylon falls, there will be such a noise that the entire earth will shake, and the cries of alarm will be heard by the other nations.”
Ehanauno laBabilon nexupifo laJuda tali xunganekwa
1 Ondjovo yOmwene, e i tongifa omuxunganeki Jeremia tai popi Babilon noshilongo shOvakaldea.
2 Di udifileni mokati koiwana, nye mu shiivife; dikeni epandela, vilikileni ovanhu! Inamu holeka, tyeni: Babilon osha teywa! Bel osha fifwa ohoni! Merodak osha haluka! Oikalunga yasho oya lengaifwa. Noihongwakalunga yasho oya tila. 3 Osheshi ovanhu tava di koumbangalanhu, otave shi tondokele, ndele tave shi tokeke, itamu ka fyaala nande omunhu: ovanhu noimuna otai i onhapo tai di mo.
4 Momafiku enya nomefimbo linya, Omwene osho ta ti, ovana vaIsrael otave uya pamwe novana vaJuda, tava ende nokulila, itava mwena, ndele tava kongo Omwene Kalunga kavo. 5 Otava ka pula Sion, mondjila yavo otava ka taalelifa oipala yavo kusho: otave uya. Tava hangana nOmwene nehangano laalushe, olo itali ka dimbuwa.
6 Ovanhu vange ova li ngaashi ongudu yeedi ya kana. Ovafita vavo ve va twala pOminghulo keemhunda di nomapuko, va elaela keemhunda nokoikulundudu, va dimbwa onhele yetulumuko lavo. 7 Aveshe ava ve va hanga, ve va lya po. Ndele ovatondadi vavo ova tya: “Fye itatu pewa oushima, osheshi vo ova nyona kOmwene, onhele youyuki, kOmwene ou a kala eteelelo looxekulu vavo.”
8 Djeni mo onhapo muBabilon, nye mu dje mo medu lOvakaldea, nye mu kwatele komesho ngaashi oikombo i li komesho yongudu youkombwena. 9 Osheshi tala, Ame ohandi ka tukulula nokutondokifila Babilon eengudu doiwana inene medu lokoumbangalanhu, ndele vo otave uya kuye ndele tave shi taalele. Kombinga ei otashi ka tewa. Oikuti yavo oi li ngaashi oikuti yomuladi omufindani ou ita aluka hamakasha. 10 Ndele Kaldea otashi ka ninga oshihakanwa. Aveshe ava tave shi xuula otava ka kuta, Omwene osho ta ti. 11 Heeno, nyakukweni hano heeno, hafeni, onye ovaxuuli vefyuululo lange, heeno, nhukeni nokuhafa, ngaashi ondema tai xu moshipale, nye mu kwene ngaashi eenghambe eemhedi. 12 Nyoko ota ka fifwa ohoni unene, ou e mu dala ota ka lengaifwa. Tala, ye omuxupilela womokati koiwana aishe, ye ombuwa, ofuka yongaho. 13 Molwehandu lOmwene otashi ka kala shihe na nande omunhu, ndelenee ofuka yongaho. Keshe ou ta ende po puBabilon, ota haluka ashike ndele ta shikile oiponga yasho omwilwa.
14 Kondekeni Babilon, onye ovaumbi amushe voikuti, shi umbeni muhe nolwisho loikuti, osheshi osha nyona kOmwene. 15 Shi kalukileni eenghalu keembinga adishe. Osha tewa. Eengudi dasho oda teka po neehotekuma dasho da ngumunwa po. Eshi osho ehandu lOmwene. Shi alulileni owii washo, ngaashi sha ninga, osho shi ningileni yo. 16 Nyonauneni po ovakuni vomapya muBabilon pamwe naava hava kwata oikashulifo peteyo. Otava faduka po eongamukonda tali tu, ndele tava i keshe tuu koshiwana shaye mwene nokoshilongo shaye.
17 Israel ya fa odi ya fadukifwa po keenghoshi. Tete ohamba yaAsiria e i lya po nokwa shikulwa kuNebukadnesar, ohamba yaBabilon, a kunya omakipa ayo. 18 Onghee hano Omwene womatanga ovakwaita, Kalunga kaIsrael, ota ti:
Tala, Ame ohandi handukile ohamba yaBabilon noshilongo shayo, ngaashi nda handukila ohamba yaAsiria. 19 Nohandi ka shunifa Israel moulifilo waye e ke lilife kuKarmel nomoshikandjo Basan nokeemhunda daEfraim ye a kutife ondjala yaye muGilead.
20 Pomafiku enya nomefimbo tuu olo, Omwene ta ti, okunyona kwaIsrael otaku ka kongwa, ndelenee itaku ka monika vali, netimba laJuda kali wetike vali. Osheshi ohandi dimine po ovo handi va fili po oshixupe. 21 Inda koshilongo shaMerataim sha twa ondubo pavali, ove u shi tondokele u ka lwife oonakukala muPekod. Va taataa ove u va mane po, va yapulila okufya, Omwene osho ta ti. Wanifa ashishe eshi nde shi ku lombwela. 22 Onghuwano tai udika moshilongo, eweelelo lehanauno linene. 23 Hano ongahelipi ohamala ei ya denga ounyuni aushe, ya teywa po noya nyanyaulwa! Hano ongahelipi Babilon sha ninga oshinima shoixuna mokati koiwana? 24 Ame onde ku tela omwiyo, oove Babilon, wa yulwa fimbo wa li uhe shii sha. Ove owa vakelwa wa kwatwa, osheshi ove we litula mokulwifa Omwene. 25 Omwene okwa yeulula elimba loilwifo nokwa kufa mo oiti yehandu laye, osheshi Omwene, Kalunga komatanga ovakwaita ota ka wanifa oshilonga shaye moshilongo shOvakaldea. 26 Shi tondokeleni keembinga adishe! Yeululeni omalimba asho, umbeni mo oipako monduba ngaashi eendudi doilya, shi yapulileni okunyonaunwa po. Inamu fiya po nande sha. 27 Nyoneni po eehove dasho adishe nadi uye okutomwa! Woo ovo! Osheshi efiku lavo ola fika, efiku lokuhandukilwa kwavo!
28 Pwilikina, ovainhapo noonakufaduka po tava di moshilongo shaBabilon, tave uya kuSion va shiivifile onghone yOmwene, Kalunga ketu, heeno, onghone omolwotembeli yaye.
29 Shivileni Babilon, ovaumbi, ava va lukila omauta. Ongeni eenhanda mu shi dingilile, nande aha mone omhito okuya onhapo. Shi handukileni nehandu li fike pokunyona kwasho. Ngaashi sha ninga, osho shi ningileni yo, osheshi sho osha twa ondubo nOmwene, Omuyapuki waIsrael. 30 Onghee ovalumenhu vasho ovamati otava ka fila momapandavanda asho, novakwaita vasho aveshe otava ka dipawa mefiku tuu olo, Omwene ta ti.
31 Tala, Ame ohandi uya kwoove, omulinenepeki oove, Omwene womatanga ovakwaita, osho ta ti; Osheshi efiku loye ola fika, efimbo loku ku handukila. 32 Opo nee omulinenepeki ota punduka nota wile poshi nopehe na ou te mu yambula, noilando yasho ohandi i tema omundilo, ndele tau i mane po naashishe osho shi li popepi. 33 Omwene womatanga ovakwaita ta ti ngaha: Ovana vaIsrael novana vaJuda otava hepekwa novakwati vavo aveshe otave va kalekele moupika, vo tava anye oku va efa. 34 Ndelenee Omukulili wavo Oye omunaenghono, edina laye, Omwene womatanga ovakwaita. Oye te va popile ndele ta eta ombili kombada yedu, ndelenee ta etele oonakukala muBabilon ekakamo.
35 Eongamukonda, totela Ovakaldea, Omwene osho ta ti, noonakukalamo muBabilon, oidale novanongo vasho. 36 Eongamukonda, totela ovapopyaani, va monike omalai! Eongamukonda, totela ovaladi vasho, ve liekelele! 37 Eongamukonda, totela eenghambe dasho nomatemba asho novashakati aveshe ve li mokati kavo, va ninge ovakainhu vongaho! Eongamukonda, totela omamona avo a hakanwe po. 38 Oluteni, totela omeva avo aeshe a pwinine po! Osheshi oshilongo shavo oshoihongwakalunga yongaho. Ndele have lineekele oihongwa yavo ngaashi ovayananghwengu. 39 Onghee hano tashi ka ninga onhele yoixwemi noyoikweni yomoixwa; oyo oonakukala musho, neemho otadi ka kala mo. Itashi ka nangalwa vali kovanhu nofiyo omaludalo nomaludalo itaa ka kala mo. 40 Ngaashi pa kala mefimbo linya Kalunga a hanauna po Sodom naGomorra noilando yomoushiinda, Omwene osho ta ti, nosho yo musho itamu ka kala nande umwe e nonhele yaye, ahowe, nande omona umwe womunhu.
41 Tala, okoumbangalanhu taku di ovanhu, oshiwana shinene sha fikama, neehamba dihapu tadi fikama okominghulo dokokule dedu. 42 Ove nomauta nomaonga, vo ovadudu vehe nonghenda. Oshihomo shavo ngaashi engungumo lefuta, ndele hava londo eenghambe, va djala oiti ngaashi omukwaita, ve ku lidengife, ove omona okakadona Babilon. 43 Ohamba yaBabilon eshi ya uda eenghundana davo tadi va tongo, omaoko aye okwa wa, noumbada owe mu hanga noudjuu, ye ota kakama ngaashi omudali. 44 Tala, ngaashi onghoshi tai shituluka momufitu waJordan, ndele tai uya koulifilo muwa, osho yo Ame ohandi ke va ta mo divadiva. Ndele handi ka nangeka mo ou a hoololwa. Osheshi olyelye a fa nge, nolyelye ta dulu okuhokololifa nge? Nopeni mbela pe nomufita ta dulu okukala ofika koshipala shange? 45 Onghee hano udeni omhangela yOmwene e i pangelela Babilon, nomadiladilo aye e a diladilila oshilongo shOvakaldea. Oshili, vo ove nokukokololwa mo, eedi odo da utama. Oshili oulifilo otau ka haluka nokuhalukilila omolwado. 46 Omolweingido: Babilon sha tewa, edu tali kakama, nekwenauko tali udika moiwana.
