1 T he burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see.

The mournful, inspired prediction (a burden to be lifted up) concerning Babylon which Isaiah son of Amoz saw:

2 S et ye up an ensign upon the bare mountain, lift up the voice unto them, wave the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.

Raise up a signal banner upon the high and bare mountain, summon them with loud voice and beckoning hand that they may enter the gates of the nobles.

3 I have commanded my consecrated ones, yea, I have called my mighty men for mine anger, even my proudly exulting ones.

I Myself have commanded My designated ones and have summoned My mighty men to execute My anger, even My proudly exulting ones —those who are made to triumph for My honor.

4 T he noise of a multitude in the mountains, as of a great people! the noise of a tumult of the kingdoms of the nations gathered together! Jehovah of hosts is mustering the host for the battle.

Hark, the uproar of a multitude in the mountains, like that of a great people! The noise of the tumult of the kingdoms of the nations gathering together! The Lord of hosts is mustering the host for the battle.

5 T hey come from a far country, from the uttermost part of heaven, even Jehovah, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.

They come from a distant country, from the uttermost part of the heavens —even the Lord and the weapons of His indignation—to seize and destroy the whole land.

6 W ail ye; for the day of Jehovah is at hand; as destruction from the Almighty shall it come.

Wail, for the day of the Lord is at hand; as destruction from the Almighty and Sufficient One will it come!

7 T herefore shall all hands be feeble, and every heart of man shall melt:

Therefore will all hands be feeble, and every man’s heart will melt.

8 a nd they shall be dismayed; pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman in travail: they shall look in amazement one at another; their faces shall be faces of flame.

And they shall be dismayed and terrified, pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman in childbirth. They will gaze stupefied and aghast at one another, their faces will be aflame.

9 B ehold, the day of Jehovah cometh, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger; to make the land a desolation, and to destroy the sinners thereof out of it.

Behold, the day of the Lord is coming!—fierce, with wrath and raging anger—to make the land and the earth a desolation and to destroy out of it its sinners.

10 F or the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light; the sun shall be darkened in its going forth, and the moon shall not cause its light to shine.

For the stars of the heavens and their constellations will not give their light; the sun will be darkened at its rising and the moon will not shed its light.

11 A nd I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity: and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.

And I, the Lord, will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their guilt and iniquity; I will cause the arrogance of the proud to cease and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible and the boasting of the violent and ruthless.

12 I will make a man more rare than fine gold, even a man than the pure gold of Ophir.

I will make a man more rare than fine gold, and mankind scarcer than the pure gold of Ophir.

13 T herefore I will make the heavens to tremble, and the earth shall be shaken out of its place, in the wrath of Jehovah of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.

Therefore I will make the heavens tremble; and the earth shall be shaken out of its place at the wrath of the Lord of hosts in the day of His fierce anger.

14 A nd it shall come to pass, that as the chased roe, and as sheep that no man gathereth, they shall turn every man to his own people, and shall flee every man to his own land.

And like the chased roe or gazelle, and like sheep that no man gathers, each will turn to his own people, and each will flee to his own land.

15 E very one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is taken shall fall by the sword.

Everyone who is found will be thrust through, and everyone who is connected with the slain and is caught will fall by the sword.

16 T heir infants also shall be dashed in pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be rifled, and their wives ravished.

Their infants also will be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses will be plundered and their wives ravished.

17 B ehold, I will stir up the Medes against them, who shall not regard silver, and as for gold, they shall not delight in it.

Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, who have no regard for silver and do not delight in gold.

18 A nd their bows shall dash the young men in pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eye shall not spare children.

Their bows will cut down the young men; and they will have no pity on the fruit of the womb, their eyes will not spare children.

19 A nd Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldeans' pride, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.

And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldeans’ pride, shall be like Sodom and Gomorrah when God overthrew them.

20 I t shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall shepherds make their flocks to lie down there.

shall never be inhabited or dwelt in from generation to generation; neither shall the Arab pitch his tent there, nor shall the shepherds make their sheepfolds there.

21 B ut wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and ostriches shall dwell there, and wild goats shall dance there.

But wild beasts of the desert will lie down there, and the people’s houses will be full of dolefully howling creatures; and ostriches will dwell there, and wild goats will dance there.

22 A nd wolves shall cry in their castles, and jackals in the pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged.

And wolves and howling creatures will cry and answer in the deserted castles, and jackals in the pleasant palaces. And time has nearly come, and her days will not be prolonged.