<p class="poetry">Listen! Fugitives and refugees are coming from the land of Babylon.p> <p class="poetry">They are coming to Zion to declare therep> <p class="poetry">how the <sc>Lordsc> our God is getting revenge,p> <p class="poetry">getting revenge for what they have done to his temple.<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">&#8220;Sharpen<n id="1" /> your arrows!p> <p class="poetry">Fill your quivers!<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> will arouse a spirit of hostility in<n id="3" /> the kings of Media.<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">For he intends to destroy Babylonia.p> <p class="poetry">For that is how the <sc>Lordsc> will get his revenge &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">how he will get his revenge for the Babylonians&#8217; destruction of his temple.<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">So I said to the <sc>Lordsc>,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;O <sc>Lordsc> who rules over all,<n id="2" /> you are a just judge!p> <p class="poetry">You examine people&#8217;s hearts and minds.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">I want to see you pay them back for what they have donep> <p class="poetry">because I trust you to vindicate my cause.&#8221;<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">O <sc>Lordsc> who rules over all,<n id="1" /> you test and prove the righteous.p> <p class="poetry">You see into people&#8217;s hearts and minds.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Pay them back for what they have donep> <p class="poetry">because I trust you to vindicate my cause.p>

<p class="poetry">Get out of Babylonia quickly, you foreign people.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Flee to save your lives.p> <p class="poetry">Do not let yourselves be killed because of her sins.p> <p class="poetry">For it is time for the <sc>Lordsc> to wreak his revenge.p> <p class="poetry">He will pay Babylonia<n id="2" /> back for what she has done.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Therefore the <sc>Lordsc> says,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;I will stand up for your cause.p> <p class="poetry">I will pay the Babylonians back for what they have done to you.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">I will dry up their sea.p> <p class="poetry">I will make their springs run dry.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">I<n id="1" /> hear many whispering words of intrigue against me.p> <p class="poetry">Those who would cause me terror are everywhere!<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">They are saying, &#8220;Come on, let&#8217;s publicly denounce him!&#8221;<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">All my so-called friends<n id="4" /> are just watching forp> <p class="poetry">something that would lead to my downfall.<n id="5" />p> <p class="poetry">They say, &#8220;Perhaps he can be enticed into slipping up,p> <p class="poetry">so we can prevail over<n id="6" /> him and get our revenge on him.p>

<p class="poetry">But that day belongs to the Lord God who rules over all.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">It is the day when he will pay back his enemies.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">His sword will devour them until its appetite is satisfied!p> <p class="poetry">It will drink their blood until it is full!<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">For the Lord <sc>Godsc> who rules over all<n id="4" /> will offer them up as a sacrificep> <p class="poetry">in the land of the north by the Euphrates River.p>

<p class="poetry">Shout the battle cry from all around the city.p> <p class="poetry">She will throw up her hands in surrender.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Her towers<n id="2" /> will fall.p> <p class="poetry">Her walls will be torn down.p> <p class="poetry">Because I, the <sc>Lordsc>, am wreaking revenge,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">take out your vengeance on her!p> <p class="poetry">Do to her as she has done!p>