1The massa (burden) of Bavel (Babylon), which Yeshayah Ben Amotz did see.

2Lift ye up a nes upon the high mountain,
exalt the voice unto them,
shake the yad,
that they may go into the gates of the nobles.

3I have commanded My Mekuddash,
I have also summoned My Gibbor for Mine anger,
even them that rejoice in My highness.

4The noise of a hamon (multitude) in the harim (mountains),
like as of an Am Rav;
a tumultuous noise of the mamlechot (kingdoms) of Goyim gathered together;
Hashem Tzva'os mustereth the Tzava (army) of the milchamah (battle, war).

5They come from an eretz merchak (a far country),
from the end of Shomayim,
Hashem, and the weapons of His indignation,
to destroy Kol HaAretz.

6Wail ye; for the Yom Hashem is karov (near);
it shall come like shod (sudden destruction) from Shaddai.

7Therefore shall kol yadayim (all hands) fall weak,
and kol levav enosh shall melt;

8And they shall be afraid;
pangs and chavalim (pains) shall take hold of them;
they shall be in pain like a woman that travaileth in childbirth;
one shall be aghast at his re'a;
their faces shall be like flaming visages.

9Hinei, the Yom Hashem cometh,
cruel both with wrath and charon af (fierce anger),
to lay the land desolate;
and He shall destroy the chatta'im (sinners) thereof out of it.

10For the kokhavim of Shomayim and the constellations thereof
shall not give their ohr (light);
the shemesh shall be darkened in its rising
and the yarei'ach shall not cause its ohr to shine.

11And I will punish the tevel (world) for ra'ah,
and the resha'im for their avon (iniquity);
and I will cause the ga'on (arrogance) of the proud to cease,
and will lay low the ga'avah (pride) of the tyrant.

12I will make enosh more rare than rare gold;
even adam than the gold of Ophir.

13Therefore I will shake Shomayim,
and Ha'Aretz (the Earth) shall move out of her makom (place),
in the evrat Hashem Tzva'os,
and in His Yom Charon Af.

14And it shall be like deer chased,
and like tzon not gathered;
each ish turning to his people,
and each fleeing to his own land.

15Every one that is found
yidaker (shall be pierced through, see Zech 12:10 for this same word and Moshiach);
and every one that is caught
shall fall by the cherev.

16Their olelim (infants) also shall be dashed to pieces
before their eyes;
their batim (houses) shall be looted,
and their nashim ravished.

17Hineni, I will stir up the Medes against them,
which shall not regard kesef;
and as for zahav, they shall not delight in it.

18Their keshatot (bows) also shall tear ne'arim (young men) to pieces;
and they shall have no rachamim on the pri beten (fruit of the womb);
their eyes shall not pity banim.

19And Babylon, the jewel of kingdoms,
the tiferet ga'on Kasdim,
shall be as when Elohim overthrew
S'dom and Amora (Gomorrah).

20Lo lanetzach (not ever) shall it be inhabited,
neither shall it be dwelt in ad dor vador;
neither shall the Arab pitch ohel there;
neither shall the ro'im rest their flock there.

21But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there;
and their batim (houses) shall be full of owls;
and ostriches shall dwell there,
and demons shall dance there.

22And the wild beasts shall howl in their strongholds,
and jackals in their heichalot (palaces) of oneg (delight);
and her (Babylonʼs) time is karov (near, at hand) to come,
and her days shall not be prolonged.