1 T he word which the Lord spoke concerning Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans, through Jeremiah the prophet:

La palabra que el Señor habló acerca de Babilonia, la tierra de los Caldeos, por medio del profeta Jeremías:

2 “ Declare and proclaim among the nations. Proclaim it and lift up a standard. Do not conceal it but say, ‘ Babylon has been captured, Bel has been put to shame, Marduk has been shattered; Her images have been put to shame, her idols have been shattered.’

“Anúncienlo entre las naciones y háganlo oír; Levanten estandarte, háganlo oír. No lo oculten, sino digan: ‘Ha sido tomada Babilonia, Está avergonzado Bel, destrozado Merodac; Han sido avergonzadas sus imágenes, destrozados sus ídolos.’

3 F or a nation has come up against her out of the north; it will make her land an object of horror, and there will be no inhabitant in it. Both man and beast have wandered off, they have gone away!

Porque ha subido contra ella una nación del norte Que hará de su tierra objeto de horror, Y no habrá habitante en ella. Tanto hombres como animales habrán huido, se habrán ido.

4 “ In those days and at that time,” declares the Lord, “the sons of Israel will come, both they and the sons of Judah as well; they will go along weeping as they go, and it will be the Lord their God they will seek.

En aquellos días y en aquel tiempo,” declara el Señor “vendrán los Israelitas, ellos junto con los hijos de Judá; Vendrán andando y llorando, Y al Señor su Dios buscarán.

5 T hey will ask for the way to Zion, turning their faces in its direction; they will come that they may join themselves to the Lord in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten.

Preguntarán por el camino de Sion, Hacia donde volverán sus rostros; Vendrán para unirse al Señor En un pacto eterno que no será olvidado.

6 “ My people have become lost sheep; Their shepherds have led them astray. They have made them turn aside on the mountains; They have gone along from mountain to hill And have forgotten their resting place.

Mi pueblo ha venido a ser como ovejas perdidas; Sus pastores las han descarriado, Haciéndolas vagar por los montes. Han andado de monte en collado Y han olvidado su lugar de descanso.

7 “ All who came upon them have devoured them; And their adversaries have said, ‘ We are not guilty, Inasmuch as they have sinned against the Lord who is the habitation of righteousness, Even the Lord, the hope of their fathers.’

Todos los que los hallaban, los devoraban; Y sus enemigos han dicho: ‘No somos culpables, Porque ellos han pecado contra el Señor, morada de justicia, El Señor, esperanza de sus padres.’

8 “ Wander away from the midst of Babylon And go forth from the land of the Chaldeans; Be also like male goats at the head of the flock.

Huyan de en medio de Babilonia, Y salgan de la tierra de los Caldeos; Sean como machos cabríos al frente del rebaño.

9 “ For behold, I am going to arouse and bring up against Babylon A horde of great nations from the land of the north, And they will draw up their battle lines against her; From there she will be taken captive. Their arrows will be like an expert warrior Who does not return empty-handed.

Porque Yo hago despertar y subir contra Babilonia Una horda de grandes naciones de la tierra del norte, Que se alinearán para la batalla contra ella; Desde allí será llevada cautiva. Sus flechas serán como de diestro guerrero Que no vuelve con las manos vacías.

10 “ Chaldea will become plunder; All who plunder her will have enough,” declares the Lord.

Y Caldea se convertirá en botín; Todos los que la saqueen se saciarán,” declara el Señor.

11 “ Because you are glad, because you are jubilant, O you who pillage My heritage, Because you skip about like a threshing heifer And neigh like stallions,

“Porque ustedes se alegran, porque se regocijan, Saqueadores de Mi heredad, Porque saltan como novilla trilladora Y relinchan como caballos sementales,

12 Y our mother will be greatly ashamed, She who gave you birth will be humiliated. Behold, she will be the least of the nations, A wilderness, a parched land and a desert.

Su madre se avergonzará en gran manera, Será humillada la que los dio a luz. Será la última de las naciones: Desierto, sequedal y lugar desolado.

13 “ Because of the indignation of the Lord she will not be inhabited, But she will be completely desolate; Everyone who passes by Babylon will be horrified And will hiss because of all her wounds.

A causa del enojo del Señor, no será habitada, Sino que estará desolada toda ella; Todo el que pase por Babilonia se quedará atónito Y silbará a causa de todas sus heridas.

14 “ Draw up your battle lines against Babylon on every side, All you who bend the bow; Shoot at her, do not be sparing with your arrows, For she has sinned against the Lord.

Pónganse en orden contra Babilonia en derredor suyo, Todos los que entesan el arco; Tiren contra ella, no escatimen las flechas, Porque ha pecado contra el Señor.

15 “ Raise your battle cry against her on every side! She has given herself up, her pillars have fallen, Her walls have been torn down. For this is the vengeance of the Lord: Take vengeance on her; As she has done to others, so do to her.

Den grito de guerra en derredor contra ella. Se ha rendido, caen sus columnas, Son derribadas sus murallas. Porque ésta es la venganza del Señor: Tomen venganza de ella; Como ella ha hecho, así hagan con ella.

16 “ Cut off the sower from Babylon And the one who wields the sickle at the time of harvest; From before the sword of the oppressor They will each turn back to his own people And they will each flee to his own land.

Exterminen de Babilonia al sembrador Y al que maneja la hoz en tiempo de la siega; Ante la espada opresora, Cada uno volverá a su pueblo, Cada uno huirá a su tierra.

17 “ Israel is a scattered flock, the lions have driven them away. The first one who devoured him was the king of Assyria, and this last one who has broken his bones is Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.

“Rebaño descarriado es Israel; los leones lo han ahuyentado. Primero lo devoró el rey de Asiria, y después Nabucodonosor, rey de Babilonia, quebró sus huesos.

18 T herefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Behold, I am going to punish the king of Babylon and his land, just as I punished the king of Assyria.

Por tanto, así dice el Señor de los ejércitos, el Dios de Israel: ‘Voy a castigar al rey de Babilonia y a su tierra, como castigué al rey de Asiria.

19 A nd I will bring Israel back to his pasture and he will graze on Carmel and Bashan, and his desire will be satisfied in the hill country of Ephraim and Gilead.

Y volveré a traer a Israel a su pastizal (redil), y pastará en el Carmelo y en Basán, y se saciarán sus deseos en la región montañosa de Efraín y en Galaad.

20 I n those days and at that time,’ declares the Lord, ‘search will be made for the iniquity of Israel, but there will be none; and for the sins of Judah, but they will not be found; for I will pardon those whom I leave as a remnant.’

En aquellos días y en aquel tiempo,’ declara el Señor ‘se buscará la iniquidad de Israel, pero no habrá ninguna, y los pecados de Judá, pero no se hallarán; porque perdonaré a los que Yo haya dejado como remanente.’

21 “ Against the land of Merathaim, go up against it, And against the inhabitants of Pekod. Slay and utterly destroy them,” declares the Lord, “And do according to all that I have commanded you.

“Sube contra la tierra de Merataim, contra ella Y contra los habitantes de Pecod. Mátalos y destrúyelos,” declara el Señor, “y haz conforme a todo lo que te he ordenado.

22 “ The noise of battle is in the land, And great destruction.

¡Hay estruendo de guerra en el país, Y gran destrucción!

23 “ How the hammer of the whole earth Has been cut off and broken! How Babylon has become An object of horror among the nations!

¡Cómo ha sido cortado y quebrado El martillo de toda la tierra! ¡Cómo se ha convertido Babilonia En objeto de horror entre las naciones!

24 “ I set a snare for you and you were also caught, O Babylon, While you yourself were not aware; You have been found and also seized Because you have engaged in conflict with the Lord.”

Babilonia, te puse lazo, y fuiste atrapada, Y tú no te diste cuenta; Has sido sorprendida y apresada Porque te pusiste a provocar al Señor.”

25 T he Lord has opened His armory And has brought forth the weapons of His indignation, For it is a work of the Lord God of hosts In the land of the Chaldeans.

El Señor ha abierto Su arsenal Y ha sacado las armas de Su indignación, Porque ésta es obra del Señor, Dios de los ejércitos, En la tierra de los Caldeos.

26 C ome to her from the farthest border; Open up her barns, Pile her up like heaps And utterly destroy her, Let nothing be left to her.

Vengan contra ella desde los últimos confines; Abran sus graneros, Conviértanla en montones Y destrúyanla por completo; Que no le quede nada.

27 P ut all her young bulls to the sword; Let them go down to the slaughter! Woe be upon them, for their day has come, The time of their punishment.

Pasen a espada todos sus novillos; Que desciendan al matadero. ¡Ay de ellos, porque ha llegado su día, La hora de su castigo!

28 T here is a sound of fugitives and refugees from the land of Babylon, To declare in Zion the vengeance of the Lord our God, Vengeance for His temple.

Se oye la voz de los que huyeron y escaparon de la tierra de Babilonia Anunciando en Sion la venganza del Señor nuestro Dios, La venganza de Su templo.

29 “ Summon many against Babylon, All those who bend the bow: Encamp against her on every side, Let there be no escape. Repay her according to her work; According to all that she has done, so do to her; For she has become arrogant against the Lord, Against the Holy One of Israel.

“Recluten arqueros contra Babilonia, A todos los que entesan el arco; Acampen contra ella por todos lados, Que no haya escape. Denle el pago conforme a su obra; Conforme a todo lo que ha hecho, así hagan con ella; Porque se ha vuelto insolente contra el Señor, Contra el Santo de Israel.

30 “ Therefore her young men will fall in her streets, And all her men of war will be silenced in that day,” declares the Lord.

Por tanto, sus jóvenes caerán en sus calles, Y todos sus hombres de guerra serán silenciados en aquel día,” declara el Señor.

31 “ Behold, I am against you, O arrogant one,” Declares the Lord God of hosts, “For your day has come, The time when I will punish you.

“Estoy contra ti, arrogante,” declara el Señor, Dios de los ejércitos, “porque ha llegado tu día, La hora en que te castigaré.

32 “ The arrogant one will stumble and fall With no one to raise him up; And I will set fire to his cities And it will devour all his environs.”

Y la arrogante tropezará y caerá Sin que nadie la levante. Prenderé fuego a sus ciudades, El cual devorará todos sus alrededores.”

33 T hus says the Lord of hosts, “The sons of Israel are oppressed, And the sons of Judah as well; And all who took them captive have held them fast, They have refused to let them go.

Así dice el Señor de los ejércitos: “Oprimidos están los Israelitas Y los hijos de Judá también; Todos los que los tomaron cautivos los han retenido, Se han negado a soltarlos.

34 “ Their Redeemer is strong, the Lord of hosts is His name; He will vigorously plead their case So that He may bring rest to the earth, But turmoil to the inhabitants of Babylon.

Pero su Redentor es fuerte, el Señor de los ejércitos es Su nombre; Defenderá su causa con energía Para traer reposo a la tierra Y turbación a los habitantes de Babilonia.

35 “ A sword against the Chaldeans,” declares the Lord, “And against the inhabitants of Babylon And against her officials and her wise men!

Espada contra los Caldeos,” declara el Señor, “y contra los habitantes de Babilonia, Contra sus oficiales y sus sabios.

36 “ A sword against the oracle priests, and they will become fools! A sword against her mighty men, and they will be shattered!

Espada contra los impostores (falsos profetas, oráculos sacerdotes), y se volverán necios. Espada contra sus valientes, y serán destrozados.

37 “ A sword against their horses and against their chariots And against all the foreigners who are in the midst of her, And they will become women! A sword against her treasures, and they will be plundered!

Espada contra sus caballos y contra sus carros, Y contra todos los extranjeros que están en medio de ella, Y serán como mujeres. Espada contra sus tesoros, y serán saqueados.

38 “ A drought on her waters, and they will be dried up! For it is a land of idols, And they are mad over fearsome idols.

Sequía sobre sus aguas, y se secarán; Porque es una tierra de ídolos, Y se vuelven locos por sus horribles ídolos.

39 “ Therefore the desert creatures will live there along with the jackals; The ostriches also will live in it, And it will never again be inhabited Or dwelt in from generation to generation.

Por tanto, allí vivirán las fieras del desierto junto con las hienas, También vivirán avestruces en ella; Nunca más será habitada Ni poblada por generación y generación.

40 “ As when God overthrew Sodom And Gomorrah with its neighbors,” declares the Lord, “No man will live there, Nor will any son of man reside in it.

Como cuando Dios destruyó a Sodoma, A Gomorra y a sus ciudades vecinas,” declara el Señor “ningún hombre habitará allí, Ni residirá en ella hijo de hombre.

41 “ Behold, a people is coming from the north, And a great nation and many kings Will be aroused from the remote parts of the earth.

Un pueblo viene del norte, Una gran nación, Y muchos reyes se levantarán De los confines de la tierra.

42 “ They seize their bow and javelin; They are cruel and have no mercy. Their voice roars like the sea; And they ride on horses, Marshalled like a man for the battle Against you, O daughter of Babylon.

Empuñan arco y jabalina; Son crueles y no tienen misericordia. Su voz ruge como el mar, Y a caballo van montados, Alineados como un solo hombre para la batalla Contra ti, hija de Babilonia.

43 “ The king of Babylon has heard the report about them, And his hands hang limp; Distress has gripped him, Agony like a woman in childbirth.

El rey de Babilonia ha oído noticias de ellos, Y flaquean sus manos; La angustia se ha apoderado de él, Agonía como de mujer de parto.

44 “ Behold, one will come up like a lion from the thicket of the Jordan to a perennially watered pasture; for in an instant I will make them run away from it, and whoever is chosen I will appoint over it. For who is like Me, and who will summon Me into court ? And who then is the shepherd who can stand before Me?”

Viene uno que subirá como león De la espesura del Jordán a una pradera de verdes pastos, Y en un instante lo haré huir de él, Y al que sea escogido nombraré sobre él. Porque ¿quién es como Yo y quién Me citará a juicio ? ¿Quién es el pastor que Me podrá resistir ?”

45 T herefore hear the plan of the Lord which He has planned against Babylon, and His purposes which He has purposed against the land of the Chaldeans: surely they will drag them off, even the little ones of the flock; surely He will make their pasture desolate because of them.

Por tanto, oigan el plan que el Señor ha trazado contra Babilonia, y los designios que ha decretado contra la tierra de los Caldeos; ciertamente los arrastrarán, aun a los más pequeños del rebaño; ciertamente a causa de ellos hará una desolación de su pastizal (redil).

46 A t the shout, “Babylon has been seized!” the earth is shaken, and an outcry is heard among the nations.

Al grito de “¡Babilonia ha sido tomada!” La tierra tiembla y el clamor se oye entre las naciones.