1¡Oh Babilonia invicta, ven a sentarte en el polvo, porque tus días de gloria, pompa y honor llegaron a su fin! ¡Oh hija de Caldea, jamás volverás a ser aquella encantadora, tierna y delicada princesa!2Toma la pesada piedra y ponte a moler el trigo; quítate el velo, desvístete y exhíbete en público.3Desnuda serás puesta en vergüenza. De ti me vengaré y no me arrepentiré.4Así dice nuestro Redentor, el cual salvará a Israel del gran poder de Babilonia, el SEÑOR Todopoderoso es su nombre, el Santo de Israel:5Siéntate callada y en tinieblas, oh Babilonia, jamás se te volverá a llamar«Reina de Reinos».6Porque enojado estuve con mi pueblo Israel y comencé a castigarlos un poco permitiendo que cayeran en tus manos, oh Babilonia. Pero fuiste despiadada con ellos. Hasta a los ancianos obligaste a llevar pesadas cargas.7Creíste que tu reino no terminaría jamás, reina de los reinos del mundo. No te diste la menor molestia por mi pueblo o en pensar en el destino de quienes lo maltratan.8¡Oh reino ebrio de placeres, que vives a tus anchas, vanagloriándote de ser el más grande de la tierra, escucha la sentencia que mi tribunal dicta sobre tus pecados! Tú dices: «Sólo yo soy dios. No enviudaré jamás, jamás perderé a mis hijos».9Pues bien, ambas cosas te ocurrirán en un instante, en un día te abrumará su plenitud: la viudez y la pérdida de tus hijos, a despecho de tu magia y brujería.10Segura te sentías en toda tu maldad. «Nadie me ve», decías. Tu«sabiduría» y tu«conocimiento» hicieron que te apartaras de mí y que proclamaras que tú misma eres dios.11Por eso te sobrevendrá súbito desastre, tan repentino que no sabrás de dónde viene, y no habrá entonces expiación que limpie tus pecados.12Invoca las hordas de demonios que adoraste todos estos años, pídeles que te ayuden a infundir nuevamente profundo terror en muchos corazones.13Cuentas con montones de consejeros, tus astrólogos y contempladores de estrellas que procuran decirte qué guarda el futuro.14Pero son tan inútiles como hierba seca que arde en el fuego. Ni a sí mismos pueden librarse. Ningún auxilio recibirás de ellos. Su fuego no puede calentarte.15Y todos tus amigos de la infancia se desvanecerán y desaparecerán, incapaces de ayudar.
1Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon; sit on the ground without a throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans! For you shall no more be called tender and delicate. (Sal 137:8; Is 3:26; Is 13:19; Is 23:13; Is 43:14; Is 47:5; Is 48:14)2Take the millstones and grind flour, put off your veil, strip off your robe, uncover your legs, pass through the rivers. (Jue 16:21; Is 20:4; Mt 24:41)3Your nakedness shall be uncovered, and your disgrace shall be seen. I will take vengeance, and I will spare no one.4Our Redeemer—the Lord of hosts is his name— is the Holy One of Israel. (Is 43:14)5Sit in silence, and go into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans; for you shall no more be called the mistress of kingdoms. (Is 47:1; Jer 8:14)6I was angry with my people; I profaned my heritage; I gave them into your hand; you showed them no mercy; on the aged you made your yoke exceedingly heavy. (Is 14:17; Is 51:23; Zac 1:15)7You said, “I shall be mistress forever,” so that you did not lay these things to heart or remember their end. (Is 47:1)8Now therefore hear this, you lover of pleasures, who sit securely, who say in your heart, “I am, and there is no one besides me; I shall not sit as a widow or know the loss of children”: (Is 45:6; Is 45:18; Is 47:7; Jer 50:29; Lm 1:1; Sof 2:15; Ap 18:7)9These two things shall come to you in a moment, in one day; the loss of children and widowhood shall come upon you in full measure, in spite of your many sorceries and the great power of your enchantments. (Is 47:12; Is 51:19; Jer 50:31; Nah 3:4)10You felt secure 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.” (Is 45:6; Is 45:18; Jer 50:29)11But evil shall come upon you, which you will not know how to charm away; disaster shall fall upon you, for which you will not be able to atone; and ruin shall come upon you suddenly, of which you know nothing. (Sal 35:8; Jer 51:41)12Stand fast in your enchantments and your many sorceries, with which you have labored from your youth; perhaps you may be able to succeed; perhaps you may inspire terror. (Is 47:9)13You are wearied with your many counsels; let them stand forth and save you, those who divide the heavens, who gaze at the stars, who at the new moons make known what shall come upon you. (Is 44:25; Dn 2:2; Dn 2:10)14Behold, they are like stubble; the fire consumes them; they cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame. No coal for warming oneself is this, no fire to sit before! (Is 10:17; Is 41:2; Nah 1:10; Mal 4:1)15Such to you are those with whom you have labored, who have done business with you from your youth; they wander about, each in his own direction; there is no one to save you.