Chapter 47

Translation and Transliteration of

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1Get down, sit in the dust, Fair Maiden Babylon; Sit, dethroned, on the ground, O Fair Chaldea; Nevermore shall they call you The tender and dainty one.

ארְדִי וּשְׁבִי עַל־עָפָר בְּתוּלַת בַּת־בָּבֶל שְׁבִי־לָאָרֶץ אֵין־כִּסֵּא בַּת־כַּשְׂדִּים כִּי לֹא תוֹסִיפִי יִקְרְאוּ־לָךְ רַכָּה וַעֲנֻגָּה׃

2Grasp the handmill and grind meal. Remove your veil, Strip off your train, bare your leg, Wade through the rivers.

בקְחִי רֵחַיִם וְטַחֲנִי קָמַח גַּלִּי צַמָּתֵךְ חֶשְׂפִּי־שֹׁבֶל גַּלִּי־שׁוֹק עִבְרִי נְהָרוֹת׃

3Your nakedness shall be uncovered, And your shame shall be exposed. I will take vengeance, And let no man intercede.

גתִּגָּל עֶרְוָתֵךְ גַּם תֵּרָאֶה חֶרְפָּתֵךְ נָקָם אֶקָּח וְלֹא אֶפְגַּע אָדָם׃

4Our Redeemer—LORD of Hosts is His name— Is the Holy One of Yisrael.

go-a-LAY-nu a-do-NAI tz'-va-OT sh'-MO k'-DOSH yis-ra-AYL

דגֹּאֲלֵנוּ יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת שְׁמוֹ קְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

47:4 Our Redeemer—LORD of Hosts is His name

Yeshayahu portrays Babylon in its humiliation as a female in deep distress, working at a wheel, exposed in the marketplace. Suddenly, Israel (or Yeshayahu himself) exclaims, “Our Redeemer — LORD of hosts is His name, the Holy One of Yisrael.” This highlights the difference between Israel and Babylon. Though punished and exiled, Hashem is always present for the Israelites, offering hope and encouragement that they will be redeemed and returned to their land. Babylon, on the other hand, remains friendless and alone.

5Sit silent; retire into darkness, O Fair Chaldea; Nevermore shall they call you Mistress of Kingdoms.

השְׁבִי דוּמָם וּבֹאִי בַחֹשֶׁךְ בַּת־כַּשְׂדִּים כִּי לֹא תוֹסִיפִי יִקְרְאוּ־לָךְ גְּבֶרֶת מַמְלָכוֹת׃

6I was angry at My people, I defiled My heritage; I put them into your hands, But you showed them no mercy. Even upon the aged you made Your yoke exceedingly heavy.

וקָצַפְתִּי עַל־עַמִּי חִלַּלְתִּי נַחֲלָתִי וָאֶתְּנֵם בְּיָדֵךְ לֹא־שַׂמְתְּ לָהֶם רַחֲמִים עַל־זָקֵן הִכְבַּדְתְּ עֻלֵּךְ מְאֹד׃

7You thought, “I shall always be The mistress still.” You did not take these things to heart, You gave no thought to the end of it.

זוַתֹּאמְרִי לְעוֹלָם אֶהְיֶה גְבָרֶת עַד לֹא־שַׂמְתְּ אֵלֶּה עַל־לִבֵּךְ לֹא זָכַרְתְּ אַחֲרִיתָהּ׃

8And now hear this, O pampered one— Who dwell in security, Who think to yourself, “I am, and there is none but me; I shall not become a widow Or know loss of children”—

חוְעַתָּה שִׁמְעִי־זֹאת עֲדִינָה הַיּוֹשֶׁבֶת לָבֶטַח הָאֹמְרָה בִּלְבָבָהּ אֲנִי וְאַפְסִי עוֹד לֹא אֵשֵׁב אַלְמָנָה וְלֹא אֵדַע שְׁכוֹל׃

9These two things shall come upon you,Suddenly, in one day: Loss of children and widowhood Shall come upon you in full measure, Despite your many enchantments And all your countless spells.

טוְתָבֹאנָה לָּךְ שְׁתֵּי־אֵלֶּה רֶגַע בְּיוֹם אֶחָד שְׁכוֹל וְאַלְמֹן כְּתֻמָּם בָּאוּ עָלַיִךְ בְּרֹב כְּשָׁפַיִךְ בְּעָצְמַת חֲבָרַיִךְ מְאֹד׃

10You were secure in your wickedness; You thought, “No one can see me.” It was your skill and your science That led you astray. And you thought to yourself, “I am, and there is none but me.”

יוַתִּבְטְחִי בְרָעָתֵךְ אָמַרְתְּ אֵין רֹאָנִי חָכְמָתֵךְ וְדַעְתֵּךְ הִיא שׁוֹבְבָתֶךְ וַתֹּאמְרִי בְלִבֵּךְ אֲנִי וְאַפְסִי עוֹד׃

11Evil is coming upon you Which you will not know how to charm away; Disaster is falling upon you Which you will not be able to appease; Coming upon you suddenly Is ruin of which you know nothing.

יאוּבָא עָלַיִךְ רָעָה לֹא תֵדְעִי שַׁחְרָהּ וְתִפֹּל עָלַיִךְ הֹוָה לֹא תוּכְלִי כַּפְּרָהּ וְתָבֹא עָלַיִךְ פִּתְאֹם שׁוֹאָה לֹא תֵדָעִי׃

12Stand up, with your spells and your many enchantments On which you labored since youth! Perhaps you'll be able to profit, Perhaps you will find strength.

יבעִמְדִי־נָא בַחֲבָרַיִךְ וּבְרֹב כְּשָׁפַיִךְ בַּאֲשֶׁר יָגַעַתְּ מִנְּעוּרָיִךְ אוּלַי תּוּכְלִי הוֹעִיל אוּלַי תַּעֲרוֹצִי׃

13You are helpless, despite all your art. Let them stand up and help you now, Th scanners of heaven, the star-gazers, Who announce, month by month, Whatever will come upon you.

יגנִלְאֵית בְּרֹב עֲצָתָיִךְ יַעַמְדוּ־נָא וְיוֹשִׁיעֻךְ הברו [הֹבְרֵי] שָׁמַיִם הַחֹזִים בַּכּוֹכָבִים מוֹדִיעִם לֶחֳדָשִׁים מֵאֲשֶׁר יָבֹאוּ עָלָיִךְ׃

14See, they are become like straw, Fire consumes them; They cannot save themselves From the power of the flame; This is no coal for warming oneself, No fire to sit by!

ידהִנֵּה הָיוּ כְקַשׁ אֵשׁ שְׂרָפָתַם לֹא־יַצִּילוּ אֶת־נַפְשָׁם מִיַּד לֶהָבָה אֵין־גַּחֶלֶת לַחְמָם אוּר לָשֶׁבֶת נֶגְדּוֹ׃

15This is what they have profited you— The traders you dealt with since youth— Each has wandered off his own way, There is none to save you. 1

טוכֵּן הָיוּ־לָךְ אֲשֶׁר יָגָעַתְּ סֹחֲרַיִךְ מִנְּעוּרַיִךְ אִישׁ לְעֶבְרוֹ תָּעוּ אֵין מוֹשִׁיעֵךְ׃