Isaiah 14:6-8

14:6 It ¹  furiously struck down nations

with unceasing blows. ² 

It angrily ruled over nations,

oppressing them without restraint. ³ 

14:7 The whole earth rests and is quiet;

they break into song.

14:8 The evergreens also rejoice over your demise, ⁴ 

as do the cedars of Lebanon, singing, ⁵ 

‘Since you fell asleep, ⁶ 

no woodsman comes up to chop us down!’ ⁷ 

[14:6]  ¹ tn Or perhaps, “he” (cf. KJV; NCV “the king of Babylon”). The present translation understands the referent of the pronoun (“it”) to be the “club/scepter” of the preceding line.

[14:6]  ² tn Heb “it was striking down nations in fury [with] a blow without ceasing.” The participle (“striking down”) suggests repeated or continuous action in past time.

[14:6]  ³ tn Heb “it was ruling in anger nations [with] oppression without restraint.” The participle (“ruling”) suggests repeated or continuous action in past time.

[14:8]  ⁴ tn Heb “concerning you.”

[14:8]  ⁵ tn The word “singing” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. Note that the personified trees speak in the second half of the verse.

[14:8]  ⁶ tn Heb “lay down” (in death); cf. NAB “laid to rest.”

[14:8]  ⁷ tn Heb “the [wood]cutter does not come up against us.”