Jesaja 47
1 Kom af, zet u neer in het stof, Gij jonkvrouw, dochter van Babel; Zit neer op de grond, zonder troon, Gij dochter van de Chaldeën; Want niet langer zal men u noemen Verwend en vertroeteld.
[Yahweh also says], “You people of Babylon, you should go and sit in the dust/dirt [to show that you are mourning], because your time to rule [MTY] [other countries] is almost ended. People will never again say that Babylonia is beautiful [like] a very attractive/beautiful young woman.
2 Ga de handmolen halen, om meel te malen, Doe uw sluier af, uw sleep omhoog; Ontbloot uw benen, Om door stromen te waden,
[You will be slaves, so] take heavy stones and grind grain [like slave women do]. Take off your [beautiful] veils and take off your robes [as you prepare to cross streams to go where you will be forced to go].
3 Naakt zij uw schaamte, Uw schande te pronk! Wraak zal Ik nemen, onverbiddelijk, spreekt onze Redder,
You will be naked and [very] ashamed. I will get vengeance on you and not pity you.”
4 Israëls Heilige, Jahweh der heirscharen is zijn Naam!
The one who frees us [people of Judah], whom we call ‘the Commander of the armies of angels’, is the Holy One of Israel.
5 Houd u maar stil, en ga in de duisternis zitten, Dochter van de Chaldeën; Want nooit meer zal men u noemen De souverein van koninkrijken!
[Yahweh says], “You people of Babylon, sit silently in the darkness, because people will never again say that your city is [like] [MET] a queen that rules many kingdoms.
6 Omdat Ik op mijn volk was vergramd, Heb Ik mijn erfdeel ontwijd, in uw handen geleverd. Maar gij hebt hun geen medelijden getoond, Zelfs op grijsaards zwaar uw juk laten drukken.
I was angry with the people whom I chose [to belong to me], and I punished them. I allowed you [people of Babylon] to conquer them. But [when you conquered them], you did not have mercy on them. You (oppressed/treated cruelly) [MET] even the old people.
7 Gij hebt gezegd: Souverein zal ik zijn voor altijd en eeuwig, Uw einde kwam niet eens bij u op, gij dacht er niet aan.
You said, ‘We will rule [other nations] forever; [it is as though our city] will be the queen [of the world] forever!’ But you did not think about the things [that you were doing], or think about what would result.
8 Hoor dan, wellustige, Die zorgeloos neerzit; Die denkt bij uzelf: Dat ben ik, en geen ander; Nooit blijf ik als weduwe zitten, Nooit zal ik zonder kinderen zijn.
You people [of Babylon] who enjoy pleasure and sex, listen to this: You enjoy a luxurious life and you feel secure. You say, ‘We are [like gods], and there are no others like us. Our women will never become widows, and our children will never be killed [in wars].’
9 Maar juist deze twee rampen zullen u treffen, Plotseling, op één enkele dag; Kinderloosheid en weduwschap Zullen in al haar zwaarte op u vallen: Ondanks uw talloze toverkunsten, En de grote macht van uw bezweerders.
But both of those things will happen to you suddenly: Many of your women will become widows and many of your children will die, even though you perform much sorcery and many kinds of magic [to prevent bad things from happening to you].
10 Ge hebt op uw boosheid vertrouwd, En gezegd: Niemand doorziet mij. Uw wijsheid en kunde Hebben u op een dwaalspoor gebracht; Zodat ge dacht bij uzelf: Dat ben ik, en geen ander!
You felt protected even though you were doing many wicked things, and you said, ‘No one will see what we [are doing]!’ [You thought that] you were very wise and knew many things, and you said, ‘We are gods, and there are no others like us,’ but you deceived yourselves.
11 Maar een onheil zal over u komen, Dat ge niet weet weg te toveren; Een ramp op u vallen, Die ge niet kunt bezweren; Plotseling een vernieling u treffen, Geheel onverwacht!
So you will experience terrible things, and you will not be able to prevent them by working magic. You will experience disasters, and you will not be able to pay anyone to prevent those things from happening. (A catastrophe/Something terrible) will happen to you suddenly, something that you will not realize [is about to happen].
12 Houd maar vol met uw bezweringen En met uw talloze toverkunsten, Waarmee ge u hebt afgesloofd Van uw prilste jeugd. Misschien nog kunt ge er baat bij vinden, Of jaagt ge er anderen schrik mee aan.
So you can continue to perform all your magic spells [IRO]! You can perform the many kinds of sorcery that you have practiced for many years! Perhaps [doing those things will enable you to] be successful; perhaps you will be able to cause your enemies to be afraid of you!
13 Ge hebt u vermoeid met uw vele beraders, Laat ze nu opstaan; Laat ze u redden, de hemelbezweerders, En sterrenkijkers, Die u elke maand laten weten, Wat er voor u zal gebeuren.
But [all that has resulted from your] doing all the things that the magicians have told you to do is that you have become tired! The men who look at the stars every month and predict what will happen should come forward and rescue you [from the disasters that you are about to experience].
14 Zie, ze worden als kaf, Dat het vuur zal verbranden; Ze kunnen zichzelf niet redden Uit de greep van de vlammen. Neen, ‘t is geen vuur, om zich te warmen, Geen haard, om er voor te gaan zitten.
But [they cannot do that, because] they are like [SIM] straw that is burning in a fire; they cannot save themselves from being burned up in the flames. Those men are unable to help you [MET]; they are as useless as stubble [that burns quickly and produces no heat] for you.
15 Dat hebt ge nu van uw bezweerders, En van uw tovenaars, zonder tal, Waarmee ge u hebt afgesloofd Van uw prilste jeugd: Ze stuiven langs alle kanten uiteen, Niet één, die u redt!
The people whom you have associated with and worked with since you were young [will not help you], because they will just continue doing their own foolish things, and they will not pay any attention to you [when you cry out for help].”
