Isaiah 47

1Come down and sit in the dust, virgin daughter Babylon; sit on the ground without a throne, daughter of the Chaldeans. For they will no longer call you tender and delicate.

2Take the millstones and grind flour; uncover your veil, strip off your skirt, uncover the leg, cross over the rivers.

3Your nakedness will be uncovered; indeed, your disgrace will be seen. I will take vengeance, and I will spare no man.

4Our Redeemer—Yahweh of Armies is his name—is the Holy One of Israel.

5Sit in silence, and go into darkness, daughter of the Chaldeans; for no longer will they call you the mistress of kingdoms.

6I was angry with my people; I profaned my inheritance and gave them into your hand. You showed them no mercy; on the aged you made your yoke very heavy.

7You said, ‘I will be mistress forever,’ so that you did not take these things to heart; you did not remember her end.

8Then, hear this, you lover of luxury, who sit securely, who say in your heart, ‘I am, and there is no one besides me. I will not sit as a widow, nor will I know the loss of children.’

9But these two things will come to you in a moment, in one day: bereavement and widowhood. In full measure they will come upon you, in spite of your many sorceries and the great power of your spells.

10You trusted in your wickedness; you said, ‘No one sees me.’ Your wisdom and your knowledge led you astray, and you said in your heart, ‘I am, and there is no one besides me.’

11But evil will come upon you; you will not know how to charm it away. And disaster will fall upon you; you will not be able to atone for it. And ruin will come upon you suddenly, which you do not foresee.

12Stand now with your enchantments and with your many sorceries, in which you have labored from your youth; perhaps you may be able to profit, perhaps you may inspire terror.

13You are wearied by your many counsels. Let them stand now and save you—those who divide the heavens, who gaze at the stars, who make known month by month what will come upon you.

14Look, they have become like stubble; fire burns them up. They cannot rescue themselves from the power of the flame. This is no coal for warming oneself, no fire to sit before.

15So have those with whom you labored become to you—your merchants from your youth. Each one wanders to his own quarter; there is no one to save you.