Chapter 50

1The word which Hashem spoke concerning Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans, through the Navi Yirmiyahu:

אהַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְהֹוָה אֶל־בָּבֶל אֶל־אֶרֶץ כַּשְׂדִּים בְּיַד יִרְמְיָהוּ הַנָּבִיא׃

2Declare among the nations, and proclaim; Raise a standard, proclaim; Hide nothing! Say: Babylon is captured, Bel is shamed, Merodach is dismayed. Her idols are shamed, Her fetishes dismayed.

בהַגִּידוּ בַגּוֹיִם וְהַשְׁמִיעוּ וּשְׂאוּ־נֵס הַשְׁמִיעוּ אַל־תְּכַחֵדוּ אִמְרוּ נִלְכְּדָה בָבֶל הֹבִישׁ בֵּל חַת מְרֹדָךְ הֹבִישׁוּ עֲצַבֶּיהָ חַתּוּ גִּלּוּלֶיהָ׃

3For a nation from the north has attacked her, It will make her land a desolation. No one shall dwell in it, Both man and beast shall wander away.

גכִּי עָלָה עָלֶיהָ גּוֹי מִצָּפוֹן הוּא־יָשִׁית אֶת־אַרְצָהּ לְשַׁמָּה וְלֹא־יִהְיֶה יוֹשֵׁב בָּהּ מֵאָדָם וְעַד־בְּהֵמָה נָדוּ הָלָכוּ׃

4In those days and at that time—declares Hashem—the people of Yisrael together with the people of Yehuda shall come, and they shall weep as they go to seek Hashem their God.

דבַּיָּמִים הָהֵמָּה וּבָעֵת הַהִיא נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה יָבֹאוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל הֵמָּה וּבְנֵי־יְהוּדָה יַחְדָּו הָלוֹךְ וּבָכוֹ יֵלֵכוּ וְאֶת־יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיהֶם יְבַקֵּשׁוּ׃

5They shall inquire for Tzion; in that direction their faces shall turn; they shall come and attach themselves to Hashem by a covenant for all time, which shall never be forgotten.

tzi-YON yish-A-lu DE-rekh HAY-nah f'-nay-HEM BO-u v'-nil-VU el a-do-NAI b'-REET o-LAM LO ti-sha-KHAY-akh

הצִיּוֹן יִשְׁאָלוּ דֶּרֶךְ הֵנָּה פְנֵיהֶם בֹּאוּ וְנִלְווּ אֶל־יְהֹוָה בְּרִית עוֹלָם לֹא תִשָּׁכֵחַ׃

6My people were lost sheep: their shepherds led them astray, they drove them out to the mountains, they roamed from mount to hill, they forgot their own resting place.

וצֹאן אֹבְדוֹת היה [הָיוּ] עַמִּי רֹעֵיהֶם הִתְעוּם הָרִים שובבים [שׁוֹבְבוּם] מֵהַר אֶל־גִּבְעָה הָלָכוּ שָׁכְחוּ רִבְצָם׃

7All who encountered them devoured them; and their foes said, “We shall not be held guilty, because they have sinned against Hashem, the true Pasture, the Hope of their fathers—Hashem.”

זכָּל־מוֹצְאֵיהֶם אֲכָלוּם וְצָרֵיהֶם אָמְרוּ לֹא נֶאְשָׁם תַּחַת אֲשֶׁר חָטְאוּ לַיהֹוָה נְוֵה־צֶדֶק וּמִקְוֵה אֲבוֹתֵיהֶם יְהֹוָה׃

8Flee from Babylon, Leave the land of the Chaldeans, And be like he-goats that lead the flock!

חנֻדוּ מִתּוֹךְ בָּבֶל וּמֵאֶרֶץ כַּשְׂדִּים יצאו [צֵאוּ] וִהְיוּ כְּעַתּוּדִים לִפְנֵי־צֹאן׃

9For see, I am rousing and leading An assemblage of great nations against Babylon From the lands of the north. They shall draw up their lines against her, There she shall be captured. Their arrows are like those of a skilled warrior Who does not turn back without hitting the mark.

טכִּי הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי מֵעִיר וּמַעֲלֶה עַל־בָּבֶל קְהַל־גּוֹיִם גְּדֹלִים מֵאֶרֶץ צָפוֹן וְעָרְכוּ לָהּ מִשָּׁם תִּלָּכֵד חִצָּיו כְּגִבּוֹר מַשְׁכִּיל לֹא יָשׁוּב רֵיקָם׃

10Chaldea shall be despoiled, All her spoilers shall be sated —declares Hashem.

יוְהָיְתָה כַשְׂדִּים לְשָׁלָל כָּל־שֹׁלְלֶיהָ יִשְׂבָּעוּ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה׃

11For you rejoiced, you exulted, You who plundered My possession; You stamped like a heifer treading grain, You neighed like steeds.

יאכִּי תשמחי [תִשְׂמְחוּ] כִּי תעלזי [תַעֲלְזוּ] שֹׁסֵי נַחֲלָתִי כִּי תפושי [תָפוּשׁוּ] כְּעֶגְלָה דָשָׁה ותצהלי [וְתִצְהֲלוּ] כָּאֲבִּרִים׃

12So your mother will be utterly shamed, She who bore you will be disgraced. Behold the end of the nations— Wilderness, desert, and steppe!

יבבּוֹשָׁה אִמְּכֶם מְאֹד חָפְרָה יוֹלַדְתְּכֶם הִנֵּה אַחֲרִית גּוֹיִם מִדְבָּר צִיָּה וַעֲרָבָה׃

13Because of Hashem's wrath she shall not be inhabited; She shall be utterly desolate. Whoever passes by Babylon will be appalled And will hiss at all her wounds.

יגמִקֶּצֶף יְהֹוָה לֹא תֵשֵׁב וְהָיְתָה שְׁמָמָה כֻּלָּהּ כֹּל עֹבֵר עַל־בָּבֶל יִשֹּׁם וְיִשְׁרֹק עַל־כָּל־מַכּוֹתֶיהָ׃

14Range yourselves roundabout Babylon, All you who draw the bow; Shoot at her, don't spare arrows, For she has sinned against Hashem.

ידעִרְכוּ עַל־בָּבֶל סָבִיב כָּל־דֹּרְכֵי קֶשֶׁת יְדוּ אֵלֶיהָ אַל־תַּחְמְלוּ אֶל־חֵץ כִּי לַיהֹוָה חָטָאָה׃

15Raise a shout against her all about! She has surrendered; Her bastions have fallen, Her walls are thrown down— This is Hashem's vengeance. Take vengeance on her, Do to her as she has done!

טוהָרִיעוּ עָלֶיהָ סָבִיב נָתְנָה יָדָהּ נָפְלוּ אשויתיה [אָשְׁיוֹתֶיהָ] נֶהֶרְסוּ חוֹמוֹתֶיהָ כִּי נִקְמַת יְהֹוָה הִיא הִנָּקְמוּ בָהּ כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשְׂתָה עֲשׂוּ־לָהּ׃

16Make an end in Babylon of sowers, And of wielders of the sickle at harvest time. Because of the deadly sword, Each man shall turn back to his people, They shall flee every one to his land.

טזכִּרְתוּ זוֹרֵעַ מִבָּבֶל וְתֹפֵשׂ מַגָּל בְּעֵת קָצִיר מִפְּנֵי חֶרֶב הַיּוֹנָה אִישׁ אֶל־עַמּוֹ יִפְנוּ וְאִישׁ לְאַרְצוֹ יָנֻסוּ׃

17Yisrael are scattered sheep, harried by lions. First the king of Assyria devoured them, and in the end King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon crunched their bones.

יזשֶׂה פְזוּרָה יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲרָיוֹת הִדִּיחוּ הָרִאשׁוֹן אֲכָלוֹ מֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר וְזֶה הָאַחֲרוֹן עִצְּמוֹ נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל׃

18Assuredly, thus said the lord of Hosts, the God of Yisrael: I will deal with the king of Babylon and his land as I dealt with the king of Assyria.

יחלָכֵן כֹּה־אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הִנְנִי פֹקֵד אֶל־מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל וְאֶל־אַרְצוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר פָּקַדְתִּי אֶל־מֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר׃

19And I will lead Yisrael back to his pasture, and he shall graze in Carmel and Bashan, and eat his fill in the hill country of Efraim and in Gilad.

יטוְשֹׁבַבְתִּי אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־נָוֵהוּ וְרָעָה הַכַּרְמֶל וְהַבָּשָׁן וּבְהַר אֶפְרַיִם וְהַגִּלְעָד תִּשְׂבַּע נַפְשׁוֹ׃

20In those days and at that time —declares Hashem— The iniquity of Yisrael shall be sought, And there shall be none; The sins of Yehuda, And none shall be found; For I will pardon those I allow to survive.

כבַּיָּמִים הָהֵם וּבָעֵת הַהִיא נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה יְבֻקַּשׁ אֶת־עֲוׂן יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאֵינֶנּוּ וְאֶת־חַטֹּאת יְהוּדָה וְלֹא תִמָּצֶאינָה כִּי אֶסְלַח לַאֲשֶׁר אַשְׁאִיר׃

21Advance against her—the land of Merathaim— And against the inhabitants of Pekod; Ruin and destroy after them to the last —says Hashem— Do just as I have commanded you.

כאעַל־הָאָרֶץ מְרָתַיִם עֲלֵה עָלֶיהָ וְאֶל־יוֹשְׁבֵי פְּקוֹד חֲרֹב וְהַחֲרֵם אַחֲרֵיהֶם נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה וַעֲשֵׂה כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִיךָ׃

22Hark! War in the land And vast destruction!

כבקוֹל מִלְחָמָה בָּאָרֶץ וְשֶׁבֶר גָּדוֹל׃

23How the hammer of the whole earth Has been hacked and shattered! How Babylon has become An appallment among the nations!

כגאֵיךְ נִגְדַּע וַיִּשָּׁבֵר פַּטִּישׁ כָּל־הָאָרֶץ אֵיךְ הָיְתָה לְשַׁמָּה בָּבֶל בַּגּוֹיִם׃

24I set a snare for you, O Babylon And you were trapped unawares; You were found and caught, Because you challenged Hashem.

כדיָקֹשְׁתִּי לָךְ וְגַם־נִלְכַּדְתְּ בָּבֶל וְאַתְּ לֹא יָדָעַתְּ נִמְצֵאת וְגַם־נִתְפַּשְׂתְּ כִּי בַיהֹוָה הִתְגָּרִית׃

25Hashem has opened His armory And brought out the weapons of His wrath; For that is the task Of my Lord God of Hosts In the land of the Chaldeans.

כהפָּתַח יְהֹוָה אֶת־אוֹצָרוֹ וַיּוֹצֵא אֶת־כְּלֵי זַעְמוֹ כִּי־מְלָאכָה הִיא לַאדֹנָי יְהוִה צְבָאוֹת בְּאֶרֶץ כַּשְׂדִּים׃

26Come against her from every quarter; Break open her granaries, Pile her up like heaps of grain, And destroy her, let her have no remnant!

כובֹּאוּ־לָהּ מִקֵּץ פִּתְחוּ מַאֲבֻסֶיהָ סָלּוּהָ כְמוֹ־עֲרֵמִים וְהַחֲרִימוּהָ אַל־תְּהִי־לָהּ שְׁאֵרִית׃

27Destroy all her bulls, Let them go down to slaughter. Alas for them, their day is come, The hour of their doom!

כזחִרְבוּ כָּל־פָּרֶיהָ יֵרְדוּ לַטָּבַח הוֹי עֲלֵיהֶם כִּי־בָא יוֹמָם עֵת פְּקֻדָּתָם׃

28Hark! fugitives are escaping From the land of Babylon, To tell in Tzion of the vengeance of Hashem our God, Vengeance for His Temple.

כחקוֹל נָסִים וּפְלֵטִים מֵאֶרֶץ בָּבֶל לְהַגִּיד בְּצִיּוֹן אֶת־נִקְמַת יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ נִקְמַת הֵיכָלוֹ׃

29Summon archers against Babylon, All who draw the bow! Encamp against her roundabout, Let none of her people escape. Pay her back for her actions, Do to her just what she has done; For she has acted insolently against Hashem, The Holy One of Yisrael.

כטהַשְׁמִיעוּ אֶל־בָּבֶל רַבִּים כָּל־דֹּרְכֵי קֶשֶׁת חֲנוּ עָלֶיהָ סָבִיב אַל־יְהִי־[לָהּ] פְּלֵטָה שַׁלְּמוּ־לָהּ כְּפָעֳלָהּ כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר עָשְׂתָה עֲשׂוּ־לָהּ כִּי אֶל־יְהֹוָה זָדָה אֶל־קְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

30Assuredly, her young men shall fall in her squares, And all her warriors shall perish in that day —declares Hashem.

ללָכֵן יִפְּלוּ בַחוּרֶיהָ בִּרְחֹבֹתֶיהָ וְכָל־אַנְשֵׁי מִלְחַמְתָּהּ יִדַּמּוּ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה׃

31I am going to deal with you, O Insolence —declares the lord of Hosts— For your day is come, the time when I doom you:

לאהִנְנִי אֵלֶיךָ זָדוֹן נְאֻם־אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה צְבָאוֹת כִּי בָּא יוֹמְךָ עֵת פְּקַדְתִּיךָ׃

32Insolence shall stumble and fall, With none to raise her up. I will set her cities on fire, And it shall consume everything around her.

לבוְכָשַׁל זָדוֹן וְנָפַל וְאֵין לוֹ מֵקִים וְהִצַּתִּי אֵשׁ בְּעָרָיו וְאָכְלָה כָּל־סְבִיבֹתָיו׃

33Thus said the lord of Hosts: The people of Yisrael are oppressed, And so too the people of Yehuda; All their captors held them, They refused to let them go.

לגכֹּה אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת עֲשׁוּקִים בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבְנֵי־יְהוּדָה יַחְדָּו וְכָל־שֹׁבֵיהֶם הֶחֱזִיקוּ בָם מֵאֲנוּ שַׁלְּחָם׃

34Their Redeemer is mighty, His name is LORD of Hosts. He will champion their cause— So as to give rest to the earth, And unrest to the inhabitants of Babylon.

לדגֹּאֲלָם חָזָק יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת שְׁמוֹ רִיב יָרִיב אֶת־רִיבָם לְמַעַן הִרְגִּיעַ אֶת־הָאָרֶץ וְהִרְגִּיז לְיֹשְׁבֵי בָבֶל׃

35A sword against the Chaldeans —declares Hashem— And against the inhabitants of Babylon, Against its officials and its wise men!

להחֶרֶב עַל־כַּשְׂדִּים נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה וְאֶל־יֹשְׁבֵי בָבֶל וְאֶל־שָׂרֶיהָ וְאֶל־חֲכָמֶיהָ׃

36A sword against the diviners, that they be made fools of! A sword against the warriors, that they be dismayed!

לוחֶרֶב אֶל־הַבַּדִּים וְנֹאָלוּ חֶרֶב אֶל־גִּבּוֹרֶיהָ וָחָתּוּ׃

37A sword against its horses and chariots, And against all the motley crowd in its midst, That they become like women! A sword against its treasuries, that they be pillaged!

לזחֶרֶב אֶל־סוּסָיו וְאֶל־רִכְבּוֹ וְאֶל־כָּל־הָעֶרֶב אֲשֶׁר בְּתוֹכָהּ וְהָיוּ לְנָשִׁים חֶרֶב אֶל־אוֹצְרֹתֶיהָ וּבֻזָּזוּ׃

38A drought against its waters, that they be dried up! For it is a land of idols; They are besotted by their dread images.

לחחֹרֶב אֶל־מֵימֶיהָ וְיָבֵשׁוּ כִּי אֶרֶץ פְּסִלִים הִיא וּבָאֵימִים יִתְהֹלָלוּ׃

39Assuredly, Wildcats and hyenas shall dwell [there], And ostriches shall dwell there; It shall never be settled again, Nor inhabited throughout the ages.

לטלָכֵן יֵשְׁבוּ צִיִּים אֶת־אִיִּים וְיָשְׁבוּ בָהּ בְּנוֹת יַעֲנָה וְלֹא־תֵשֵׁב עוֹד לָנֶצַח וְלֹא תִשְׁכּוֹן עַד־דּוֹר וָדוֹר׃

40It shall be as when Hashem overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighbors—declares Hashem; no man shall live there, no human shall sojourn there.

מכְּמַהְפֵּכַת אֱלֹהִים אֶת־סְדֹם וְאֶת־עֲמֹרָה וְאֶת־שְׁכֵנֶיהָ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה לֹא־יֵשֵׁב שָׁם אִישׁ וְלֹא־יָגוּר בָּהּ בֶּן־אָדָם׃

41Lo, a people comes from the northland; A great nation and many kings are roused From the remotest parts of the earth.

מאהִנֵּה עַם בָּא מִצָּפוֹן וְגוֹי גָּדוֹל וּמְלָכִים רַבִּים יֵעֹרוּ מִיַּרְכְּתֵי־אָרֶץ׃

42They grasp the bow and javelin, They are cruel, they show no mercy; The sound of them is like the roaring sea. They ride upon horses, Accoutered like a man for battle, Against you, O Fair Babylon!

מבקֶשֶׁת וְכִידֹן יַחֲזִיקוּ אַכְזָרִי הֵמָּה וְלֹא יְרַחֵמוּ קוֹלָם כַּיָּם יֶהֱמֶה וְעַל־סוּסִים יִרְכָּבוּ עָרוּךְ כְּאִישׁ לַמִּלְחָמָה עָלַיִךְ בַּת־בָּבֶל׃

43The king of Babylon has heard the report of them And his hands are weakened; Anguish seizes him, Pangs like a woman in childbirth.

מגשָׁמַע מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶל אֶת־שִׁמְעָם וְרָפוּ יָדָיו צָרָה הֶחֱזִיקַתְהוּ חִיל כַּיּוֹלֵדָה׃

44It shall be as when a lion comes out of the jungle of the Yarden against a secure pasture: in a moment I can harry them out of it and appoint over it anyone I choose. Then who is like Me? Who can summon Me? Who is the shepherd that can stand up against Me?

מדהִנֵּה כְּאַרְיֵה יַעֲלֶה מִגְּאוֹן הַיַּרְדֵּן אֶל־נְוֵה אֵיתָן כִּי־אַרְגִּעָה ארוצם [אֲרִיצֵם] מֵעָלֶיהָ וּמִי בָחוּר אֵלֶיהָ אֶפְקֹד כִּי מִי כָמוֹנִי וּמִי יוֹעִדֶנִּי וּמִי־זֶה רֹעֶה אֲשֶׁר יַעֲמֹד לְפָנָי׃

45Hear, then, the plan that Hashem has devised against Babylon, and has purposed against the land of Chaldea: Surely the shepherd boys Shall drag them away; Surely the pasture shall be Aghast because of them.

מהלָכֵן שִׁמְעוּ עֲצַת־יְהֹוָה אֲשֶׁר יָעַץ אֶל־בָּבֶל וּמַחְשְׁבוֹתָיו אֲשֶׁר חָשַׁב אֶל־אֶרֶץ כַּשְׂדִּים אִם־לֹא יִסְחָבוּם צְעִירֵי הַצֹּאן אִם־לֹא יַשִּׁים עֲלֵיהֶם נָוֶה׃

46At the sound of Babylon's capture The earth quakes, And an outcry is heard among the nations.

מומִקּוֹל נִתְפְּשָׂה בָבֶל נִרְעֲשָׁה הָאָרֶץ וּזְעָקָה בַּגּוֹיִם נִשְׁמָע׃