<p class="poetry">He is as bright as lightning;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">a two-pronged lightning bolt flashes from his hand.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">This is the outward display of his power.<n id="3" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">&#8220;But all these nations will someday taunt him<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and ridicule him with proverbial sayings:<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8216;The one who accumulates what does not belong to him is as good as dead<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">(How long will this go on?)<n id="4" /> &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">he who gets rich by extortion!&#8217;<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">Look, I am about to empower<n id="1" /> the Babylonians,p> <p class="poetry">that ruthless<n id="2" /> and greedy<n id="3" /> nation.p> <p class="poetry">They sweep across the surface<n id="4" /> of the earth,p> <p class="poetry">seizing dwelling places that do not belong to them.p>

<p class="poetry">They mock kingsp> <p class="poetry">and laugh at rulers.p> <p class="poetry">They laugh at every fortified city;p> <p class="poetry">they build siege ramps<n id="1" /> and capture them.p>

<p class="poetry">For the message is a witness to what is decreed;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">it gives reliable testimony about how matters will turn out.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Even if the message<n id="3" /> is not fulfilled right away, wait patiently;<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">for it will certainly come to pass &#8211; it will not arrive late.p>

<p class="poetry">He takes his battle position<n id="1" /> and shakes<n id="2" /> the earth;p> <p class="poetry">with a mere look he frightens<n id="3" /> the nations.p> <p class="poetry">The ancient mountains disintegrate;<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">the primeval hills are flattened.p> <p class="poetry">He travels on the ancient roads.<n id="5" />p>