English Standard Version ESV
New International Version NIV
4 you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon: "How the oppressor has ceased, the insolent fury ceased!
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you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon: How the oppressor has come to an end! How his fury has ended!
5 The LORD has broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of rulers,
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The LORD has broken the rod of the wicked, the scepter of the rulers,
6 that struck the peoples in wrath with unceasing blows, that ruled the nations in anger with unrelenting persecution.
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which in anger struck down peoples with unceasing blows, and in fury subdued nations with relentless aggression.
7 The whole earth is at rest and quiet; they break forth into singing.
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All the lands are at rest and at peace; they break into singing.
8 The cypresses rejoice at you, the cedars of Lebanon, saying, 'Since you were laid low, no woodcutter comes up against us.'
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Even the junipers and the cedars of Lebanon gloat over you and say, “Now that you have been laid low, no one comes to cut us down.”
9 Sheol beneath is stirred up to meet you when you come; it rouses the shades to greet you, all who were leaders of the earth; it raises from their thrones all who were kings of the nations.
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The realm of the dead below is all astir to meet you at your coming; it rouses the spirits of the departed to greet you— all those who were leaders in the world; it makes them rise from their thrones— all those who were kings over the nations.
10 All of them will answer and say to you: 'You too have become as weak as we! You have become like us!'
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They will all respond, they will say to you, “You also have become weak, as we are; you have become like us.”
11 Your pomp is brought down to Sheol, the sound of your harps; maggots are laid as a bed beneath you, and worms are your covers.
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All your pomp has been brought down to the grave, along with the noise of your harps; maggots are spread out beneath you and worms cover you.
12 "How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low!
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How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!
13 You said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north;
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You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon.
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.'
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I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.”
15 But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit.
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But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit.
16 Those who see you will stare at you and ponder over you: 'Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms,
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Those who see you stare at you, they ponder your fate: “Is this the man who shook the earth and made kingdoms tremble,
17 who made the world like a desert and overthrew its cities, who did not let his prisoners go home?'
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the man who made the world a wilderness, who overthrew its cities and would not let his captives go home?”
18 All the kings of the nations lie in glory, each in his own tomb;
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All the kings of the nations lie in state, each in his own tomb.
19 but you are cast out, away from your grave, like a loathed branch, clothed with the slain, those pierced by the sword, who go down to the stones of the pit, like a dead body trampled underfoot.
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But you are cast out of your tomb like a rejected branch; you are covered with the slain, with those pierced by the sword, those who descend to the stones of the pit. Like a corpse trampled underfoot,
20 You will not be joined with them in burial, because you have destroyed your land, you have slain your people."May the offspring of evildoers nevermore be named!
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you will not join them in burial, for you have destroyed your land and killed your people. Let the offspring of the wicked never be mentioned again.
21 Prepare slaughter for his sons because of the guilt of their fathers, lest they rise and possess the earth, and fill the face of the world with cities."
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Prepare a place to slaughter his children for the sins of their ancestors; they are not to rise to inherit the land and cover the earth with their cities.
22 "I will rise up against them," declares the LORD of hosts, "and will cut off from Babylon name and remnant, descendants and posterity," declares the LORD.
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“I will rise up against them,” declares the LORD Almighty. “I will wipe out Babylon’s name and survivors, her offspring and descendants,” declares the LORD.
23 "And I will make it a possession of the hedgehog, and pools of water, and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction," declares the LORD of hosts.
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“I will turn her into a place for owls and into swampland; I will sweep her with the broom of destruction,” declares the LORD Almighty.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.