¹ 那時，天下人的口音、言語都是一樣。

² 他們往東邊遷移的時候，在示拿地遇見一片平原，就住在那裡。

³ 他們彼此商量說：來罷！我們要作磚，把磚燒透了。他們就拿磚當石頭，又拿石漆當灰泥。

⁴ 他們說：來罷！我們要建造一座城和一座塔，塔頂通天，為要傳揚我們的名，免得我們分散在全地上。

⁵ 耶和華降臨，要看看世人所建造的城和塔。

⁶ 耶和華說：看哪，他們成為一樣的人民，都是一樣的言語，如今既作起這事來，以後他們所要作的事就沒有不成就的了。

⁷ 我們下去，在那裡變亂他們的口音，使他們的言語彼此不通。

⁸ 於是耶和華使他們從那裡分散在全地上；他們就停工，不造那城了。

⁹ 因為耶和華在那裡變亂天下人的言語，使眾人分散在全地上，所以那城名叫巴別(就是變亂的意思)。

¹⁰ 閃的後代記在下面。洪水以後二年，閃一百歲生了亞法撒。

¹¹ 閃生亞法撒之後又活了五百年，並且生兒養女。

¹² 亞法撒活到三十五歲，生了沙拉。

¹³ 亞法撒生沙拉之後又活了四百零三年，並且生兒養女。

¹⁴ 沙拉活到三十歲，生了希伯。

¹⁵ 沙拉生希伯之後又活了四百零三年，並且生兒養女。

¹⁶ 希伯活到三十四歲，生了法勒。

¹⁷ 希伯生法勒之後又活了四百三十年，並且生兒養女。

¹⁸ 法勒活到三十歲，生了拉吳。

¹⁹ 法勒生拉吳之後又活了二百零九年，並且生兒養女。

²⁰ 拉吳活到三十二歲，生了西鹿。

²¹ 拉吳生西鹿之後又活了二百零七年，並且生兒養女。

²² 西鹿活到三十歲，生了拿鶴。

²³ 西鹿生拿鶴之後又活了二百年，並且生兒養女。

²⁴ 拿鶴活到二十九歲，生了他拉。

²⁵ 拿鶴生他拉之後又活了一百一十九年，並且生兒養女。

²⁶ 他拉活到七十歲，生了亞伯蘭、拿鶴、哈蘭。

²⁷ 他拉的後代記在下面。他拉生亞伯蘭、拿鶴、哈蘭；哈蘭生羅得。

²⁸ 哈蘭死在他的本地迦勒底的吾珥，在他父親他拉之先。

²⁹ 亞伯蘭、拿鶴各娶了妻：亞伯蘭的妻子名叫撒萊；拿鶴的妻子名叫密迦，是哈蘭的女兒；哈蘭是密迦和亦迦的父親。

³⁰ 撒萊不生育，沒有孩子。

³¹ 他拉帶著他兒子亞伯蘭和他孫子哈蘭的兒子羅得，並他兒婦亞伯蘭的妻子撒萊，出了迦勒底的吾珥，要往迦南地去；他們走到哈蘭，就住在那裡。

³² 他拉共活了二百零五歲，就死在哈蘭。

¹ Behold, Yahweh makes the earth empty, makes it waste, turns it upside down, and scatters its inhabitants.

² It will be as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the creditor, so with the debtor; as with the taker of interest, so with the giver of interest.

³ The earth will be utterly emptied and utterly laid waste; for Yahweh has spoken this word.

⁴ The earth mourns and fades away. The world languishes and fades away. The lofty people of the earth languish.

⁵ The earth also is polluted under its inhabitants, because they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, and broken the everlasting covenant.

⁶ Therefore the curse has devoured the earth, and those who dwell therein are found guilty. Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.

⁷ The new wine mourns. The vine languishes. All the merry-hearted sigh.

⁸ The mirth of tambourines ceases. The sound of those who rejoice ends. The joy of the harp ceases.

⁹ They will not drink wine with a song. Strong drink will be bitter to those who drink it.

¹⁰ The confused city is broken down. Every house is shut up, that no man may come in.

¹¹ There is a crying in the streets because of the wine. All joy is darkened. The mirth of the land is gone.

¹² The city is left in desolation, and the gate is struck with destruction.

¹³ For it will be so in the midst of the earth among the peoples, as the shaking of an olive tree, as the gleanings when the vintage is done.

¹⁴ These shall lift up their voice. They will shout for the majesty of Yahweh. They cry aloud from the sea.

¹⁵ Therefore glorify Yahweh in the east, even the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel, in the islands of the sea!

¹⁶ From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs. Glory to the righteous! But I said, "I pine away! I pine away! woe is me!" The treacherous have dealt treacherously. Yes, the treacherous have dealt very treacherously.

¹⁷ Fear, the pit, and the snare, are on you who inhabitant the earth.

¹⁸ It will happen that he who flees from the noise of the fear will fall into the pit; and he who comes up out of the midst of the pit will be taken in the snare; for the windows on high are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble.

¹⁹ The earth is utterly broken. The earth is torn apart. The earth is shaken violently.

²⁰ The earth will stagger like a drunken man, and will sway back and forth like a hammock. Its disobedience will be heavy on it, and it will fall and not rise again.

²¹ It shall happen in that day that Yahweh will punish the army of the high ones on high, and the kings of the earth on the earth.

²² They shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison; and after many days shall they be visited.

²³ Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed; for Yahweh of Armies will reign on Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem; and before his elders will be glory.