34. “Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has destroyed us.In the past he took our people away.And we became like an empty jar.He was like a giant snake that swallowed us.He ate everything until he was full of our best things.Then he spit us out.
35. Babylon did terrible things to hurt us.Now let those things happen to Babylon,”say the people of Jerusalem.“The people of Babylon are guilty of killing our people.Now let them be punished for the evil they did,” says Jerusalem.
36. So this is what the Lord says:“I will defend you, Judah.I will make sure that Babylon is punished.I will dry up Babylon’s sea.And I will make her springs become dry.
37. Babylon will become a pile of ruins.Wild dogs will live there.People will be shocked by what happened there.No one lives there anymore.
38. Babylon’s people are like roaring young lions.They growl like baby lions.
39. While they are stirred up,I will give a feast for them.I will make them drunk.They will shout and laugh.And they will sleep forever and never wake up!” says the Lord.
40. “I will take the people of Babylon to be killed.They will be like lambs,like male sheep and goats waiting to be killed.
41. “How Babylon will be defeated!The pride of the whole earth will be taken captive.People from other nations will be shocked at what happened to Babylon.And the things they see will make them afraid.
42. The sea will rise over Babylon.Its roaring waves will cover her.
43. Babylon’s towns will be ruined and empty.Babylon will become a dry, desert land.It will become a land where no one lives.People will not even travel through Babylon.
44. I will punish the god Bel in Babylon.I will make him spit out what he has swallowed.Nations will no longer come to Babylon.And the wall around the city will fall.
45. “Come out of Babylon, my people!Run for your lives!Run from the Lord’s great anger.
46. Don’t lose courage.Rumors will spread, but don’t be afraid.One rumor comes this year, and another comes the next year.There will be rumors of terrible fighting in the country.There will be rumors of rulers fighting against rulers.
47. The time will surely comewhen I will punish the idols of Babylon.And the whole land will be disgraced.There will be many dead people lying all around.
48. Then heaven and earth and all that is in themwill shout for joy about Babylon.They will shout because the army came from the northand fought against Babylon,” says the Lord.
49. “Babylon killed people from Israel.Babylon killed people from everywhere on earth.So Babylon must fall.
50. You people escaped being killed with swords.You must hurry and leave Babylon.Don’t wait!Remember the Lord in the faraway land where you are.And think about Jerusalem.”