¹ Viešpats kalbėjo pranašui Jeremijui apie Babiloną ir chaldėjų kraštą:

² “Paskelbkite tautoms, iškelkite vėliavas, neslėpkite, kad Babilonas paimtas, Belis nebegarbinamas, Merodachas sunaikintas! Jų stabai išniekinti, atvaizdai sudaužyti.

³ Iš šiaurės prieš jį ateina tauta. Ji pavers kraštą dykyne; žmonės ir gyvuliai jame nebegyvens, pabėgs iš jo.

⁴ Tuomet sugrįš Izraelio ir Judo vaikai,­sako Viešpats.­Jie eis verkdami ir ieškos Viešpaties, savo Dievo.

⁵ Jie klaus kelio į Sioną ir keliaus, sakydami: ‘Eikime, glauskimės prie Viešpaties amžina sandora, kuri nebus užmiršta!’

⁶ Mano tauta tapo paklydusia banda. Ganytojai ją suvedžiojo ir paklaidino kalnuose. Jie ėjo per kalnus bei kalvas ir užmiršo savo poilsio vietą.

⁷ Kas juos sutiko, rijo juos. Jų priešai sakė: ‘Mes tuo nenusikaltome. Izraelitai nusikalto Viešpačiui, teisingumo buveinei, ir Viešpačiui, savo tėvų vilčiai’.

⁸ Skubėkite iš Babilono, traukitės iš chaldėjų krašto! Būkite kaip ožiai bandos priekyje.

⁹ Aš sukelsiu prieš Babiloną daug galingų tautų ir atvesiu jas iš šiaurės. Jos išsirikiuos ir nugalės jį. Visos jų strėlės įgudusio kario rankose, jos pasiekia tikslą.

¹⁰ Chaldėja taps grobiu, jos priešai prisiplėš turto užtektinai,­sako Viešpats,­

¹¹ nes jūs džiaugėtės ir didžiavotės, mano paveldo grobėjai, šokinėjote kaip veršiai ant žolės ir baubėte kaip jaučiai.

¹² Jūsų motina bus išniekinta ir sugėdinta. Ji bus paskutinė tarp tautų, virs dykyne, sausa žeme, dykuma.

¹³ Dėl Viešpaties rūstybės ji bus negyvenama. Kiekvienas, praeinantis pro Babiloną, stebėsis ir švilps dėl jo nelaimės.

¹⁴ Išsirikiuokite prieš Babiloną, įtempkite lankus prieš jį, šaukite, negailėkite strėlių, nes jis nusikalto Viešpačiui.

¹⁵ Skelbkite visur, kad jis paimtas. Jo apsaugos pylimas krito, sienos nugriautos. Tai Viešpaties kerštas jam už jo darbus.

¹⁶ Išnaikinkite Babilone sėjėją ir pjovėją. Karui siaučiant, kiekvienas bėgs į savo kraštą, pas savo tautą.

¹⁷ Izraelis yra kaip išsklaidytos avys, kurias išvaikė liūtai. Pirmasis jį rijo Asirijos karalius, o po to Nebukadnecaras, Babilono karalius, sutraiškė jo kaulus”.

¹⁸ Todėl taip sako kareivijų Viešpats, Izraelio Dievas: “Aš nubausiu Babilono karalių ir jo kraštą, kaip nubaudžiau Asirijos karalių.

¹⁹ Izraelį Aš parvesiu atgal į savo kraštą. Jis ganysis Karmelyje ir Bašane, pasisotins Efraimo kalnyne bei Gileade.

²⁰ Tuo metu ieškos Izraelio kaltės ir Judo nuodėmės, bet jų neras, nes Aš atleisiu jiems ir jų nesunaikinsiu,­sako kareivijų Viešpats.­

²¹ Žygiuok prieš Merataimų ir Pekodo kraštų gyventojus! Žudyk ir naikink,­sako Viešpats,­daryk taip, kaip tau įsakiau!

²² Krašte girdėti šauksmai kovos ir didelio sunaikinimo.

²³ Visos žemės kūjis pats sudaužytas ir sutrupėjęs. Babilonas tapo dykyne tarp tautų.

²⁴ Babilone, Aš stačiau tau spąstus ir sugavau tave. Tu to nepastebėjai, bet buvai surastas ir sugautas, nes kovojai prieš Viešpatį.

²⁵ Viešpats atidarė savo ginklų sandėlį ir ištraukė savo rūstybės ginklus, nes tai yra Viešpaties, kareivijų Dievo, darbas chaldėjų krašte.

²⁶ Pakilkite prieš jį, visi kraštai, atidarykite jo grūdų sandėlius, supilkite viską į krūvas ir sunaikinkite­tenelieka nieko.

²⁷ Išžudykite jo veršius, teeina jie į skerdyklą. Vargas jiems! Atėjo jų aplankymo diena.

²⁸ Štai pabėgėliai iš Babilono krašto! Jie praneša Sione apie Viešpaties kerštą, apie mūsų Dievo kerštą dėl Jo šventyklos.

²⁹ Surinkite šaulius prieš Babiloną. Apsupkite jį taip, kad nė vienas neištrūktų! Atmokėkite jam pagal jo darbus; ką jis darė, jam darykite, nes jis didžiavosi prieš mane, Izraelio Šventąjį.

³⁰ Jo jaunuoliai kris aikštėse ir visi jo kariai bus sunaikinti tą dieną,­sako Viešpats.­

³¹ Aš esu prieš tave, tu išdidusis! Atėjo tavo aplankymo metas.

³² Išdidusis suklups ir kris, nė vienas jo nepakels. Aš įžiebsiu jo miestuose ugnį, kuri suris viską aplinkui”.

³³ Kareivijų Viešpats sako: “Prispausti yra Izraelio ir Judo vaikai. Tie, kurie juos išvedė į nelaisvę, laiko juos ir nė nemano jų paleisti.

³⁴ Jų Atpirkėjas yra stiprus, kareivijų Viešpats yra Jo vardas. Jis rūpinsis jų byla ir suteiks kraštui ramybę, bet privers drebėti Babilono gyventojus.

³⁵ Kardas chaldėjams, Babilono gyventojams, jo kunigaikščiams ir išminčiams!

³⁶ Kardas jo žyniams, kurie taps kvaili, ir kariams, kad išsigąstų.

³⁷ Kardas žirgams, kovos vežimams ir samdytiems kariams, kurie taps kaip moterys. Kardas jo turtams, kurie taps grobiu!

³⁸ Sausra išdžiovins jo vandenis. Tai drožtų atvaizdų kraštas, per savo stabus jie sukvailėjo.

³⁹ Todėl ten gyvens laukiniai žvėrys, šakalai ir stručiai; Babilonas niekados nebus apgyvendintas nė atstatytas.

⁴⁰ Kaip Dievas sunaikino Sodomą, Gomorą ir jų aplinkinius miestus, taip ir Babilonas bus sunaikintas, niekas jame negyvens.

⁴¹ Galinga tauta ateina iš šiaurės ir daug karalių iš žemės pakraščių.

⁴² Jie ginkluoti lankais ir ietimis, žiaurūs bei negailestingi. Jie atūžia kaip jūra, joja ant žirgų, pasirengę kovai prieš tave, Babilono dukra!

⁴³ Babilono karalius, išgirdęs apie juos, nuleido rankas; jį apėmė baimė ir skausmai tarsi gimdyvę.

⁴⁴ Kaip liūtas iš Jordano tankynės jis pakyla ir ateina prieš stipriųjų buveines, bet Aš jį nuvysiu ir paskirsiu tą, kurį išsirinksiu. Kas yra man lygus ir kas gali man pasipriešinti? Koks valdovas galėtų man prieštarauti?

⁴⁵ Šai Viešpaties nutarimas Babilonui ir sprendimas chaldėjų kraštui. Iš tiesų net menkiausi iš bandos juos ištrems ir jų buveinės liks apleistos.

⁴⁶ Babilono paėmimo triukšmas sudrebins žemę, ir jų šauksmą išgirs visos tautos”.

¹ In the five and twentieth year of our captivity, in the beginning of the year, in the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after that the city was smitten, in the selfsame day the hand of the LORD was upon me, and brought me thither.

² In the visions of God brought he me into the land of Israel, and set me upon a very high mountain, by which was as the frame of a city on the south.

³ And he brought me thither, and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate.

⁴ And the man said unto me, Son of man, behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee; for to the intent that I might shew them unto thee art thou brought hither: declare all that thou seest to the house of Israel.

⁵ And behold a wall on the outside of the house round about, and in the man's hand a measuring reed of six cubits long by the cubit and an hand breadth: so he measured the breadth of the building, one reed; and the height, one reed.

⁶ Then came he unto the gate which looketh toward the east, and went up the stairs thereof, and measured the threshold of the gate, which was one reed broad; and the other threshold of the gate, which was one reed broad.

⁷ And every little chamber was one reed long, and one reed broad; and between the little chambers were five cubits; and the threshold of the gate by the porch of the gate within was one reed.

⁸ He measured also the porch of the gate within, one reed.

⁹ Then measured he the porch of the gate, eight cubits; and the posts thereof, two cubits; and the porch of the gate was inward.

¹⁰ And the little chambers of the gate eastward were three on this side, and three on that side; they three were of one measure: and the posts had one measure on this side and on that side.

¹¹ And he measured the breadth of the entry of the gate, ten cubits; and the length of the gate, thirteen cubits.

¹² The space also before the little chambers was one cubit on this side, and the space was one cubit on that side: and the little chambers were six cubits on this side, and six cubits on that side.

¹³ He measured then the gate from the roof of one little chamber to the roof of another: the breadth was five and twenty cubits, door against door.

¹⁴ He made also posts of threescore cubits, even unto the post of the court round about the gate.

¹⁵ And from the face of the gate of the entrance unto the face of the porch of the inner gate were fifty cubits.

¹⁶ And there were narrow windows to the little chambers, and to their posts within the gate round about, and likewise to the arches: and windows were round about inward: and upon each post were palm trees.

¹⁷ Then brought he me into the outward court, and, lo, there were chambers, and a pavement made for the court round about: thirty chambers were upon the pavement.

¹⁸ And the pavement by the side of the gates over against the length of the gates was the lower pavement.

¹⁹ Then he measured the breadth from the forefront of the lower gate unto the forefront of the inner court without, an hundred cubits eastward and northward.

²⁰ And the gate of the outward court that looked toward the north, he measured the length thereof, and the breadth thereof.

²¹ And the little chambers thereof were three on this side and three on that side; and the posts thereof and the arches thereof were after the measure of the first gate: the length thereof was fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits.

²² And their windows, and their arches, and their palm trees, were after the measure of the gate that looketh toward the east; and they went up unto it by seven steps; and the arches thereof were before them.

²³ And the gate of the inner court was over against the gate toward the north, and toward the east; and he measured from gate to gate an hundred cubits.

²⁴ After that he brought me toward the south, and behold a gate toward the south: and he measured the posts thereof and the arches thereof according to these measures.

²⁵ And there were windows in it and in the arches thereof round about, like those windows: the length was fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits.

²⁶ And there were seven steps to go up to it, and the arches thereof were before them: and it had palm trees, one on this side, and another on that side, upon the posts thereof.

²⁷ And there was a gate in the inner court toward the south: and he measured from gate to gate toward the south an hundred cubits.

²⁸ And he brought me to the inner court by the south gate: and he measured the south gate according to these measures;

²⁹ And the little chambers thereof, and the posts thereof, and the arches thereof, according to these measures: and there were windows in it and in the arches thereof round about: it was fifty cubits long, and five and twenty cubits broad.

³⁰ And the arches round about were five and twenty cubits long, and five cubits broad.

³¹ And the arches thereof were toward the utter court; and palm trees were upon the posts thereof: and the going up to it had eight steps.

³² And he brought me into the inner court toward the east: and he measured the gate according to these measures.

³³ And the little chambers thereof, and the posts thereof, and the arches thereof, were according to these measures: and there were windows therein and in the arches thereof round about: it was fifty cubits long, and five and twenty cubits broad.

³⁴ And the arches thereof were toward the outward court; and palm trees were upon the posts thereof, on this side, and on that side: and the going up to it had eight steps.

³⁵ And he brought me to the north gate, and measured it according to these measures;

³⁶ The little chambers thereof, the posts thereof, and the arches thereof, and the windows to it round about: the length was fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits.

³⁷ And the posts thereof were toward the utter court; and palm trees were upon the posts thereof, on this side, and on that side: and the going up to it had eight steps.

³⁸ And the chambers and the entries thereof were by the posts of the gates, where they washed the burnt offering.

³⁹ And in the porch of the gate were two tables on this side, and two tables on that side, to slay thereon the burnt offering and the sin offering and the trespass offering.

⁴⁰ And at the side without, as one goeth up to the entry of the north gate, were two tables; and on the other side, which was at the porch of the gate, were two tables.

⁴¹ Four tables were on this side, and Four tables on that side, by the side of the gate; eight tables, whereupon they slew their sacrifices.

⁴² And the four tables were of hewn stone for the burnt offering, of a cubit and an half long, and a cubit and an half broad, and one cubit high: whereupon also they laid the instruments wherewith they slew the burnt offering and the sacrifice.

⁴³ And within were hooks, an hand broad, fastened round about: and upon the tables was the flesh of the offering.

⁴⁴ And without the inner gate were the chambers of the singers in the inner court, which was at the side of the north gate; and their prospect was toward the south: one at the side of the east gate having the prospect toward the north.

⁴⁵ And he said unto me, This chamber, whose prospect is toward the south, is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the house.

⁴⁶ And the chamber whose prospect is toward the north is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the altar: these are the sons of Zadok among the sons of Levi, which come near to the LORD to minister unto him.

⁴⁷ So he measured the court, an hundred cubits long, and an hundred cubits broad, foursquare; and the altar that was before the house.

⁴⁸ And he brought me to the porch of the house, and measured each post of the porch, five cubits on this side, and five cubits on that side: and the breadth of the gate was three cubits on this side, and three cubits on that side.

⁴⁹ The length of the porch was twenty cubits, and the breadth eleven cubits; and he brought me by the steps whereby they went up to it: and there were pillars by the posts, one on this side, and another on that side.