Isaiah 47

1 Come down and sit on the ground, virgin daughter of Babylon. Go into the darkness, daughter of the Chaldeans, because you will no longer be called tender and luxurious.

2 Take a millstone and grind meal. Remove your veil, uncover your gray hair, bare your leg, and cross the rivers.

3 Your shame will be uncovered, and your disgrace brought to light. I will exact from you what is due and will no longer hand you over to people.

4 The Lord of armies, who rescued you, has spoken. His name is the Holy One of Israel.

5 Sit down, pierced with grief, and go into darkness, daughter of the Chaldeans. You will no longer be called the strength of a kingdom.

6 I was provoked with my people. You defiled my inheritance, so I handed them over to you. But you showed them no mercy; you made the old man’s yoke very heavy.

7 You said, ‘I will be a ruler forever.’ You did not take these things to heart or remember the outcome.

8 Now listen, you luxurious woman who sits at ease, feels secure, and says in her heart, ‘I am, and there is no other. I will not sit as a widow or know the loss of children.’

9 But these two things will suddenly come on you in one day: the loss of children and widowhood. They will come suddenly because of your sorcery and the mighty power of your spells.

10 You trusted in wickedness and said, ‘I am, and there is no other.’ Understand that your knowledge of these things and your prostitution will become your shame, because you said in your heart, ‘I am, and there is no other.’

11 Destruction will come on you before you realize it. There will be a pit, and you will fall into it. Misery will come on you, and you will not be able to become clean. Destruction will suddenly come on you, and you will not know it.

12 Stand now with the spells and abundant sorcery you learned from your youth, and see whether they can help you.

13 You are worn out by your counsels. Let heaven’s astrologers stand and save you; let those who study the stars tell you what is about to happen to you.

14 Look, they will all be burned like sticks in a fire. They will not rescue their lives from the flame. Since you have coals of fire, sit on them.

15 This is how your helpers will be. You have exhausted yourself with commerce from your youth. Each has wandered off his own way, and there will be no rescue for you.