"But evilwill comeon you Which you will not knowhow to charmaway;And disasterwill fallon you For which you cannotatone;And destructionabout which you do not knowWill comeon you suddenly.
Our enemiessaid,"They will not knowor seeuntilwe comeamongthem, killthem and puta stopto the work."
Let destructioncomeupon him unawares,And let the netwhichhe hidcatchhimself; Into that very destructionlet him fall.
"Nowconsiderthis,you who forgetGod,OrI will tear[you] in pieces, and therewill be noneto deliver.
Let deathcomedeceitfullyupon them; Let them godownaliveto Sheol,For evilis in their dwelling,in their midst.
Howthey are destroyedin a moment!They are utterlysweptawayby suddenterrors!
Adversitypursuessinners,But the righteouswill be rewardedwith prosperity.
Wail,for the dayof the LORDis near!It will comeas destructionfrom the Almighty.
But the multitudeof your enemieswill becomelike finedust,And the multitudeof the ruthlessoneslike the chaffwhich blowsaway;And it will happeninstantly,suddenly.
Thereforethisiniquitywill be to you Like a breachabout to fall,A bulgein a highwall,Whosecollapsecomessuddenlyin an instant,
Then the angelof the LORDwentout and struck185000in the campof the Assyrians;and when men aroseearlyin the morning,behold,allof these were dead.
The One forminglightand creatingdarkness,Causingwell-beingand creatingcalamity;I am the LORDwho doesallthese.
"But thesetwothingswill comeon you suddenlyin oneday:Lossof childrenand widowhood.They will comeon you in fullmeasureIn spite of your manysorceries,In spite of the greatpowerof your spells.
"You have not heard,you have not known.Evenfrom longagoyour earhas not been open,BecauseI knewthat you would dealverytreacherously;And you have been calleda rebelfrom birth.
The righteousmanperishes,and nomantakesit to heart;And devoutmenare takenaway,while nooneunderstands.For the righteousmanis takenawayfrom evil,
So the landquakesand writhes,For the purposesof the LORDagainstBabylonstand,To makethe landof BabylonA desolationwithoutinhabitants.
"Her citieshave becomean objectof horror,A parchedlandand a desert,A landin whichnomanlivesAnd throughwhichnosonof manpasses.
SuddenlyBabylonhas fallenand been broken;Wailoverher! Bringbalmfor her pain;Perhapsshe may be healed.
"They have heardthat I groan;Thereis nooneto comfortme; Allmy enemieshave heardof my calamity;They are gladthat You have done[it]. Oh, that You would bringthe daywhich You have proclaimed,That they may becomelikeme.
Disasterwill comeupon disasterand rumorwill be [added] to rumor;then they will seeka visionfrom a prophet,but the lawwill be lostfrom the priestand counselfrom the elders.
"And his lord,moved with anger,handed him overto the torturersuntilhe should repayallthat was owedhim.
"I sayto you, you will not getout of thereuntilyou have paidthe verylastcent."
they were eating,they were drinking,they were marrying,they were being given in marriage,untilthe daythat Noahenteredthe ark,and the floodcameand destroyedthem all.
Whilethey are saying,"Peaceand safety!"thendestructionwill comeupon them suddenlylikelabor painsupon a woman with child,and they will not escape.
Sorememberwhatyou have receivedand heard;and keep[it], and repent.Thereforeifyou do not wakeup, I will comelikea thief,and you will not knowat whathourI will cometo you.
