Isaiah 13

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Proclamation about Babylon, seen by Isaiah son of Amoz.	1 An oracle concerning Babylon; a vision of Isaiah, son of Amoz.
2 On a bare hill hoist a signal, shout for them, beckon them to come to the Nobles' Gate.	2 Upon the bare mountains set up a signal; cry out to them, Wave for them to enter the gates of the volunteers.
3 I have issued orders to my sacred warriors, I have summoned my heroes to serve my anger, my proudchampions.	3 I have commanded my dedicated soldiers, I have summoned my warriors, eager and bold to carry out my anger.
4 The noise of a great crowd in the mountains, like an immense people, the tumultuous sound ofkingdoms, of nations mustering: it is Yahweh Sabaoth marshal ing the troops for battle.	4 Listen! the rumble on the mountains: that of an immense throng! Listen! the noise of kingdoms, nations assembled! The LORD of hosts is mustering an army for battle.
5 They come from a distant country, from the far horizons, Yahweh and the instruments of his fury to laythe whole country waste.	5 They come from a far-off country, and from the end of the heavens, The LORD and the instruments of his wrath, to destroy all the land.
6 Howl! For the Day of Yahweh is near, coming like devastation from Shaddai.	6 Howl, for the day of the LORD is near; as destruction from the Almighty it comes.
7 This is why al hands fal limp, why al the men are losing heart;	7 Therefore all hands fall helpless, the bows of the young men fall from their hands. Every man's heart melts
8 they are panic-stricken, seized with pains and convulsions; they writhe like a woman in labour, theylook at one another appal ed, with feverish faces.	8 in terror. Pangs and sorrows take hold of them, like a woman in labor they writhe; They look aghast at each other, their faces aflame.
9 Look, the Day of Yahweh is coming, merciless, with wrath and burning anger, to reduce the country toa desert and root out the sinners from it.	9 Lo, the day of the LORD comes, cruel, with wrath and burning anger; To lay waste the land and destroy the sinners within it!
10 For in the sky the stars and Orion wil shed their light no longer, the sun wil be dark when it rises, andthe moon will no longer give its light.	10 The stars and constellations of the heavens send forth no light; The sun is dark when it rises, and the light of the moon does not shine.
11 I am going to punish the world for its wickedness and the wicked for their guilt, and put an end to thepride of the arrogant and humble the haughtiness of despots.	11 Thus I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their guilt. I will put an end to the pride of the arrogant, the insolence of tyrants I will humble.
12 I shal make people scarcer than pure gold, human life scarcer than the gold of Ophir.	12 I will make mortals more rare than pure gold, men, than gold of Ophir.
13 This is why I am going to shake the heavens, why the earth wil reel on its foundations, under thewrath of Yahweh Sabaoth, the day when his anger ignites.	13 For this I will make the heavens tremble and the earth shall be shaken from its place, At the wrath of the LORD of hosts on the day of his burning anger.
14 Then like a hunted gazel e, like sheep that nobody gathers in, everyone will head back to his people,everyone wil flee to his native land.	14 Like a hunted gazelle, or a flock that no one gathers, Every man shall turn to his kindred and flee to his own land.
15 Al those who are found wil be stabbed, al those captured wil fal by the sword,	15 Everyone who is caught shall be run through; to a man, they shall fall by the sword.
16 their babies dashed to pieces before their eyes, their houses plundered, their wives raped.	16 Their infants shall be dashed to pieces in their sight; their houses shall be plundered and their wives ravished.
17 Look, against them I am stirring up the Medes who care nothing for silver, who set no value by gold.	17 I am stirring up against them the Medes, who think nothing of silver and take no delight in gold.
18 Bows wil annihilate the young men, they wil have no pity for the fruit of the womb, or mercy in theireyes for children.	18 The fruit of the womb they shall not spare, nor shall they have eyes of pity for children.
19 And Babylon, that pearl of kingdoms, that splendid jewel of the Chaldaeans, wil , like Sodom andGomorrah, be overthrown by God.	19 And Babylon, the jewel of kingdoms, the glory and pride of the Chaldeans, Shall be overthrown by God like Sodom and like Gomorrah.
20 Never again will anyone live there or reside there for al generations to come. Never again wil theArab pitch his tent there, or the shepherds bring their flocks to rest.	20 She shall never be inhabited, nor dwelt in, from age to age; The Arab shall not pitch his tent there, nor shepherds couch their flocks.
21 But beasts of the desert wil make their haunt there and owls fill their houses, there ostriches wil settletheir home, there goats will dance.	21 But wildcats shall rest there and owls shall fill the houses; There ostriches shall dwell, and satyrs shall dance.
22 Hyenas wil howl in its towers, jackals in its delightful palaces, for its doom is about to come and itsdays wil not last long.	22 Desert beasts shall howl in her castles, and jackals in her luxurious palaces. Her time is near at hand and her days shall not be prolonged.