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1 After these things I saw another malach (angel) coming down out of Shomayim having great samchut (authority); and ha'aretz (the earth) was illuminated by the splendor of him.* 2 And he cried in a kol gadol, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Bavel Hagedolah. It has become a habitation of shedim (demons) and a beit hasohar of every ruach temei'ah (unclean spirit) and beit hasohar of every unclean bird and a beit hasohar of every unclean beast. And has become detestable,† 3 Because of the yayin (wine) of the wrath of her zenut (fornication) all the Goyim (Nations) have drunk, and the melachim (kings) of ha'aretz committed zenut with her, and the merchants of ha'aretz by the resources of her luxury became rich.”‡ 4 And I heard another kol (voice) out of Shomayim saying, “Come out of her, my people, so that you may not participate in the chatta'im (sins) of her, and some of her makkot (plagues) you may not receive,§ 5 Because her chatta'im (sins) have piled up reaching up to Shomayim, and Hashem has remembered the unrighteousnesses of her.* 6 Render to her as also she herself rendered; serve up double according to her ma'asim, in the kos (cup) which she mixed.† 7 As she gave kavod (glory) to herself and lived in luxury, so give her an equal measure of torment and agmat nefesh (grief), because in her lev (heart) she says, ‘I sit as a malkah (queen) and not an almanah (widow), and I will never see agmat nefesh (grief).’‡ 8 Therefore in one day will come the makkot (plagues) on her, Mavet (Death) and Avel (Mourning) and Ra'av (Famine), and with eish (fire) she will be burned up, because Chazak is Hashem Adonoi, the Shofet of her.§
9 And the melachim (kings) of ha'aretz, the ones having committed zenut (fornication) with her and having lived in luxury, when they see the smoke of her burning, will weep and wail over her.* 10 They will stand afar off, because of the fear of her torment, saying ‘Oy, oy to the Ir Hagedolah, Bavel the strong city, because in one hour came the mishpat of you.’
11 And the merchants of ha'aretz (the earth) cry and have agmat nefesh (grief) over her, because the cargo of them no one buys any more;† 12 Cargo of gold and of silver and of precious stone and of pearls and of fine linen and of purple and of silk and of scarlet, and every kind of scented wood and every kind of ivory article and every kind of article of valuable wood and of bronze and of iron and of marble,‡ 13 And cinnamon and spice and incense and myrrh and frankincense and yayin (wine) and oil and fine flour and wheat and cattle and kevasim (sheep), and of susim (horses) and of chariots and of slaves and nefashot (souls) of men.§ 14 And the p'ri (fruit) for which your nefesh longed has departed from you, and all the luxurious things and the splendorous things have become lost for you, and never again shall they be found! 15 And the merchants of these things, the ones having become rich from her, will stand afar off because of the fear of her torment, and they will be weeping and wailing,* 16 Saying, ‘Oy, oy, the Ir Hagedolah, the one having clothed herself with fine linen and purple and scarlet and having been gilded with gold and precious stone and pearl, 17 Because in one hour such great wealth, was laid waste.’ And there stood afar off every steersman, and everyone sailing the sea, and sailors and all who commerce on the sea.† 18 And they were crying out, seeing the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What Ir (City) is like the Ir Hagedolah?’‡ 19 And they threw dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and wailing, saying, ‘Oy, oy, the Ir Hagedolah, by which from her wealth, all the ones having ships in the sea became rich, because in one hour she was laid waste.§ 20 Have lev same'ach over her, O Shomayim! You Kedoshim and Shlichim and Nevi'im, for Hashem has given mishpat for you against her.’ ”*
21 And a malach chazak (strong angel) lifted up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “Thus will Bavel the Ir Hagedolah be violently thrown down, and never would it be found any longer.† 22 And the sound of harpers, those playing the nevel (harp), and of musicians and of flutists and of trumpeters will be heard in you no more and every oman (artist) of every craft will be found in you no more, and the sound of a mill, would be heard in you no more.‡ 23 And the ohr of a menorah would shine in you no more, and the kol (voice) of a choson (bridegroom) and of a kallah (bride) would be heard in you no more; because your merchants were the gedolim (the great) of ha'aretz (the earth), because by your kashefanut (sorcery) were all the Goyim deceived,§ 24 And in her were found the dahm of Nevi'im (prophets) and of Kedoshim and of all the ones having been slain al Kiddush ha-Shem on ha'aretz.”*
* 18:1 Ezek 43:2 † 18:2 Isa 13:21,22; 34:11,13-15; Jer 50:39; 51:37; Zeph 2:14,15 ‡ 18:3 Ezek 27:9-25 § 18:4 Isa 48:20; Jer 50:8; 51:6,9,45; Gn 19:15 * 18:5 2Chr 28:9; Ezra 9:6; Jer 51:9 † 18:6 Ps 137:8; Jer 50:15,29; Isa 40:2 ‡ 18:7 Ezek 28:2-8; Ps 10:6; Isa 47:7,8; Zeph 2:15 § 18:8 Isa 9:14; 47:9; Jer 50:31,32 * 18:9 Jer 51:8; Ezek 26:17,18 † 18:11 Ezek 27:27-31 ‡ 18:12 Ezek 27:12-22 § 18:13 Ezek 27:13 * 18:15 Ezek 27:31 † 18:17 Ezek 27:28-30 ‡ 18:18 Ezek 27:32 § 18:19 Josh 7:6; Lam 2:10; Ezek 27:30,31 * 18:20 Jer 51:48 † 18:21 Jer 51:63 ‡ 18:22 Isa 24:8; Ezek 26:13; Jer 25:10 § 18:23 Jer 7:34; 16:9; 25:10; Isa 23:8; Nah 3:4 * 18:24 Jer 51:49