“ Won’t those people laugh at the Babylonians? Won’t they make fun of them? They will say to them,“‘ How terrible it will be for you who pile up stolen goods! You get rich by cheating others. How long will this go on?’

这些国的民岂不都要提起诗歌并俗语讥刺他说：“祸哉！迦勒底人，你增添不属自己的财物，多多取人的当头，要到几时为止呢？”

这些人岂不都要提起诗歌和俗语，嘲讽他说：祸哉！你增添不属自己的财物，靠押金发财，要到几时呢？

这些人岂不都要提起诗歌和俗语，嘲讽他说：祸哉！你增添不属自己的财物，靠押金发财，要到几时呢？

“但那些被掳的人必用诗歌和俗语嘲讽他们，说，‘你们有祸了！你们吞没别人的财产，靠剥削别人囤积财富，要到何时呢？’

这些国民岂不都用譬喻、讽刺、暗语指着他们说：“那些滥得他人财物的，满载别人抵押品的，有祸了！他们这样要到几时呢？”

這些國的民豈不都要提起詩歌並俗語譏刺他說：禍哉！迦勒底人，你增添不屬自己的財物，多多取人的當頭，要到幾時為止呢？

這些人豈不都要提起詩歌和俗語，嘲諷他說：禍哉！你增添不屬自己的財物，靠押金發財，要到幾時呢？

這些人豈不都要提起詩歌和俗語，嘲諷他說：禍哉！你增添不屬自己的財物，靠押金發財，要到幾時呢？

「但那些被擄的人必用詩歌和俗語嘲諷他們，說，『你們有禍了！你們吞沒別人的財產，靠剝削別人囤積財富，要到何時呢？』

這些國民豈不都用譬喻、諷刺、暗語指著他們說：“那些濫得他人財物的，滿載別人抵押品的，有禍了！他們這樣要到幾時呢？”

這些國的人豈不都要唱起象徵歌和諷刺謎語來嘲弄他說：『那增加不屬自己之利息物的、有禍啊！——要到幾時為止呢？——那多多取人的當頭以肥己的、有禍啊！』

斯眾豈不以譬詞諷之、以隱語嘲之曰、禍哉其人、聚斂非己之財、擔負典質之重、伊於胡底、

斯眾必作歌以譏刺、曰、他人之財、充積爾家、質當之物、盡歸爾身、久而不償、禍必不遠、

斯眾必作嘲笑之歌以譏之、出諷刺之言以誚之、曰、禍哉爾歟、聚斂不屬己之財、何時為止、誠為己積累重大之孽債、

“ Will not all of them taunt him with ridicule and scorn, saying,“‘ Woe to him who piles up stolen goods and makes himself wealthy by extortion! How long must this go on?’

Shall not all these take up their taunt against him, with scoffing and riddles for him, and say,“ Woe to him who heaps up what is not his own— for how long?— and loads himself with pledges!”

“ But soon their captives will taunt them. They will mock them, saying,‘ What sorrow awaits you thieves! Now you will get what you deserve! You’ve become rich by extortion, but how much longer can this go on?’

Won’t all of these take up a taunt against him, with mockery and riddles about him? They will say,“ Woe to him who amasses what is not his— how much longer?— and loads himself with goods taken in pledge.”

“ Will all of these not take up a song of ridicule against him, Even a saying and insinuations against him And say,‘ Woe to him who increases what is not his— For how long— And makes himself rich with debts!’

“ Will not all these take up a proverb against him, And a taunting riddle against him, and say,‘ Woe to him who increases What is not his— how long? And to him who loads himself with many pledges’?

Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and that ladeth himself with pledges!

Won’t all of these take up a taunt against him, with mockery and riddles about him? They will say: Woe to him who amasses what is not his— how much longer?— and loads himself with goods taken in pledge.

Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth[ that which is] not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay!

“ But all these nations will someday taunt him and ridicule him with proverbial sayings:‘ The one who accumulates what does not belong to him is as good as dead( How long will this go on?)– he who gets rich by extortion!’

Won’t all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say,‘ Woe to him who increases that which is not his, and who enriches himself by extortion! How long?’

At that time people will make fun of you. They will tease you by singing a song of sadness. They will pretend to be you and say,‘ We are totally destroyed. Our enemies have divided up our land. The Lord has taken it away from us! He has given our fields to those who turned against us.’ ”

The end of all things is near. So be watchful and control yourselves. Then you may pray.

Because I am angry with it, no one will live there. It will be completely deserted. All those who pass by Babylon will be shocked. They will make fun of it because of all its wounds.

They will spit out the rich food they swallowed. God will make their stomachs throw it up.They will suck the poison of a serpent. The fangs of an adder will kill them.They won’t enjoy streams that flow with honey. They won’t enjoy rivers that flow with cream.What they worked for they must give back before they can eat it. They won’t enjoy what they have earned.They’ve crushed poor people and left them with nothing. They’ve taken over houses they didn’t even build.“ No matter how much they have, they always long for more. But their treasure can’t save them.There isn’t anything left for them to eat up. Their success won’t last.While they are enjoying the good life, trouble will catch up with them. Terrible suffering will come on them.When they’ve filled their stomachs, God will pour out his great anger on them. He’ll strike them down with blow after blow.They might run away from iron weapons. But arrows that have bronze tips will wound them.They will pull the arrows out of their backs. They will remove the shining tips from their livers. They will be filled with terror.Total darkness hides and waits for their treasures. God will send a fire that will destroy them. It will burn up everything that’s left in their tents.Heaven will show their guilt to everyone. The earth will be a witness against them.A flood will carry their houses away. Rushing water will wash them away on the day when God judges.Now you know what God will do to sinful people. Now you know what he has planned for them.”

they will make fun of the king of Babylon. They will say,“ See how the one who crushed others has fallen! See how his anger has come to an end!The Lord has taken away the authority of evil people. He has broken the power of rulers.When they became angry, they struck down nations. Their blows never stopped. In their anger they brought nations under their control. They attacked them again and again.All the lands now enjoy peace and rest. They break out into singing.Even the juniper trees show how happy they are. The cedar trees of Lebanon celebrate too. They say,‘ Babylon, you have fallen. Now no one comes and cuts us down.’“ King of Babylon, many people in the place of the dead are really excited. They’re excited about meeting you when you go down there. The spirits of the dead get up to welcome you. At one time all of them were leaders in the world. They were kings over the nations. They get up from their thrones.All of them call out to you. They say,‘ You have become weak, just as we are. You have become like us.’Your grand show of power has been brought down to the grave. The noise of your harps has come down here along with your power. Maggots are spread out under you. Worms cover you.“ King of Babylon, you thought you were the bright morning star. But now you have fallen from heaven! You once brought down nations. But now you have been thrown down to the earth!You said in your heart,‘ I will go up to the heavens. I’ll raise my throne above the stars of God. I’ll sit as king on the mountain where the gods meet. I’ll set up my throne on the highest slopes of Mount Zaphon.I will rise above the tops of the clouds. I’ll make myself like the Most High God.’But now you have been brought down to the place of the dead. You have been thrown into the deepest part of the pit.“ Those who see you stare at you. They think about what has happened to you. They say to themselves,‘ Is this the man who shook the earth? Is he the one who made kingdoms tremble with fear?Did he turn the world into a desert? Did he destroy its cities? Did he refuse to let his prisoners go home?’“ All the kings of the nations are buried with honor. Each of them lies in his own tomb.But you have been thrown out of your tomb. You are like a branch that is cut off and thrown away. You are covered with the bodies of those who have been killed by swords. You have been tossed into a stony pit along with them. You are like a dead body that people have walked on.

Then Balaam spoke the message he had received from God. He said,“ Balak brought me from the land of Aram. The king of Moab sent for me from the mountains in the east.‘ Come,’ he said.‘ Put a curse on Jacob’s people for me. Come. Speak against Israel.’

The people of Jerusalem say,“ Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, has destroyed us. He has thrown us into a panic. He has emptied us out like a jar. Like a snake he has swallowed us up. He has filled his stomach with our rich food. Then he has spit us out of his mouth.”The people continue,“ May the people of Babylon pay for the harmful things they have done to us. May those who live in Babylon pay for spilling the blood of our people.” That’s what the people who live in Zion say.

Then Balaam spoke the message he had received from God. He said,“ Balak, rise up and listen. Son of Zippor, hear me.

Because of what happens to them, people will use their names when they curse someone. All those who have been taken from Judah to Babylon will use their names in that way. They will say,‘ May the Lord treat you like Zedekiah and Ahab. The king of Babylon burned them in the fire.’

You took clothes away from your relatives just because they owed you some money. You left them naked for no reason at all.You didn’t give any water to people who were tired. You held food back from those who were hungry.You did it even though you were honored and powerful. You owned land and lived on it.But you sent widows away without anything. You mistreated children whose fathers had died.That’s why traps have been set all around you. That’s why sudden danger terrifies you.

Lord, how long will those who are evil be glad? How long will they be full of joy?

You rich people, listen to me. Cry and weep, because you will soon be suffering.Your riches have rotted. Moths have eaten your clothes.Your gold and silver have lost their brightness. Their dullness will be a witness against you. Your wanting more and more will eat your body like fire. You have stored up riches in these last days.You have even failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields. Their pay is crying out against you. The cries of those who gathered the harvest have reached the ears of the Lord. He rules over all.

Why spend money on what is not food? Why work for what does not satisfy you? Listen carefully to me. Then you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the richest food there is.

That’s as foolish as eating ashes! The mind of someone like that has led him astray. He can’t save himself. He can’t bring himself to say,“ This thing I’m holding in my right hand isn’t really a god at all.”

You might treat poor people badly or give gifts to rich people. Trying to get rich in these ways will instead make you poor.

All of them are ready and willing to destroy others. Their huge armies advance like a wind out of the desert. They gather prisoners like sand.They mock kings and make fun of rulers. They laugh at all the cities that have high walls around them. They build dirt ramps against the walls and capture the cities.

The evil Babylonians pull all of them up with hooks. They catch them in their nets. They gather them up. So they celebrate. They are glad.

“ But God said to him,‘ You foolish man! Tonight I will take your life away from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’

Brothers and sisters, what I mean is that the time is short. From now on, those who have a husband or wife should live as if they did not.Those who mourn should live as if they did not. Those who are happy should live as if they were not. Those who buy something should live as if it were not theirs to keep.Those who use the things of the world should not become all wrapped up in them. The world as it now exists is passing away.

I am the Lord who rules over all. Human effort is no better than wood that feeds a fire. So the nations wear themselves out for nothing.

The mighty leaders who are already in the place of the dead will talk about Egypt. They will also speak about the nations that were going to help it. They will say,‘ They have come down here. They are lying down with those who had not been circumcised. They are here with those who were killed by swords.’