4 that you will atake up this taunt against the king of Babylon, and say,
“How bthe taskmaster has ceased,
And how fury has ceased!
5 Yahweh has broken the staff of the wicked,
The scepter of rulers
6 aWhich used to strike the peoples in fury with unceasing strokes,
Which had dominion over the nations in anger with unrestrained persecution.
7 The whole earth is at rest and is quiet;
They abreak forth into shouts of joy.
8 Even the acypress trees are glad over you, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying,
‘Since you were laid low, no tree cutter comes up against us.’
9 aSheol from beneath trembles excitedly over you to meet you when you come;
It wakens for you the spirits of the dead, all the leaders of the earth;
It raises all the kings of the nations from their thrones.
10 aThey will all answer and say to you,
‘Even you have been made weak as we,
You have become like us.
11 Your apride and the music of your harps
Have been brought down to Sheol;
Maggots are spread out as your bed beneath you
And worms are your covering.’
12 How you have afallen from heaven,
O bstar of the morning, son of the dawn!
You have been cut down to the earth,
You who have weakened the nations!
13 But you said in your heart,
‘I will aascend to heaven;
I will braise my throne above the stars of God,
And I will sit on the mount of assembly
In the recesses of the north.
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
aI will make myself like the Most High.’
15 Nevertheless you awill be brought down to Sheol,
To the recesses of the pit.
16 Those who see you will gaze at you,
They will carefully consider you, saying,
‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble,
Who caused kingdoms to quake,
17 Who made the world like a awilderness
And pulled down its cities,
Who bdid not allow his prisoners to go home?’
18 All the kings of the nations lie in glory,
Each in his own place.
19 But you have been acast out of your grave
Like an abhorred branch,
Clothed with those killed who are pierced with a sword,
Who go down to the stones of the bpit
Like a ctrampled corpse.
20 You will not be united with them in burial,
Because you have ruined your country,
You have killed your people.
May the aseed of evildoers not be called upon forever.