Isaiæ 47
1 Descende, sede in pulvere virgo filia Babylon, sede in terra: non est solium filiæ Chaldæorum, quia ultra non vocaberis mollis et tenera.
Down—and sit in the dust, O virgin Daughter of Babylon, Sit on the ground—throneless, Daughter of the Chaldeans; For thou shalt no more be called Tender and Dainty.
2 Tolle molam, et mole farinam: denuda turpitudinem tuam, discooperi humerum, revela crura, transi flumina.
Take millstones, and grind meal, —Put back thy veil—tuck up thy train Bare the leg, wade through streams:
3 Revelabitur ignominia tua, et videbitur opprobrium tuum: ultionem capiam, et non resistet mihi homo.
Bared shall be thy shame, Yea seen thy reproach, —An avenging, will I take, And will accept no son of earth.
4 Redemptor noster, Dominus exercituum nomen illius, Sanctus Israel.
Our Redeemer, Yahweh of hosts, is his name! The Holy One of Israel.
5 Sede tacens, et intra in tenebras filia Chaldæorum: quia non vocaberis ultra domina regnorum.
Sit silent, and get into darkness, Daughter of the Chaldeans! For thou shalt no more be called Mistress of Kingdoms.
6 Iratus sum super populum meum, contaminavi hereditatem meam, et dedi eos in manu tua: non posuisti eis misericordias: super senem aggravasti iugum tuum valde.
I had been provoked with my people, Had profaned mine inheritance, And given them into thy hand, …Thou shewedst them no compassion, Upon the elder, madest thou very heavy thy yoke.
7 Et dixisti: In sempiternum ero domina: non posuisti hæc super cor tuum, neque recordata es novissimi tui.
And thou saidst, Unto times age-abiding, shall I be Mistress, —Insomuch that thou laidst not these things to thy heart, Didst not keep in mind the issue thereof,
8 Et nunc audi hæc delicata, et habitans confidenter, quæ dicis in corde tuo: Ego sum, et non est præter me amplius: non sedebo vidua, et ignorabo sterilitatem.
Now, therefore hear this, Thou Lady of pleasure Who dwelleth securely, Who saith in her heart, —I, [am], and there is no one besides, I shall not sit a widow, Nor know loss of children.
9 Venient tibi duo hæc subito in die una, sterilitas et viduitas. Universa venerunt super te, propter multitudinem maleficiorum tuorum, et propter duritiam incantatorum tuorum vehementem.
Yet shall there come to thee—both these, in a moment, in one day, Loss of children and widowhood, —To their full, have they come on thee, Spite of the mass of thine incantations, Spite of the great throng of thy spells.
10 Et fiduciam habuisti in malitia tua, et dixisti: Non est qui videat me. Sapientia tua et scientia tua hæc decepit te. Et dixisti in corde tuo: Ego sum, et præter me non est altera.
And so thou didst trust in thy wickedness, Thou saidst, no one, seeth me, Thy wisdom and knowledge, the same, seduced thee, —Therefore saidst thou in thy heart, I [am], and there is no one besides.
11 Veniet super te malum, et nescies ortum eius: et irruet super te calamitas, quam non poteris expiare: veniet super te repente miseria, quam nescies.
Therefore shall come on thee—Mischief, Thou shalt not know how to charm it away Yea there shall fall on thee, Ruin, Thou shalt not be able to appease it, —And there shall come on thee suddenly. Desolation. Thou shalt not know.
12 Sta cum incantatoribus tuis, et cum multitudine maleficiorum tuorum, in quibus laborasti ab adolescentia tua, si forte quod prosit tibi, aut si possis fieri fortior.
Take thy stand, I pray thee, With thy spells. And with the throng of thine incantations wherein thou hast wearied thyself from thy youth, —Peradventure thou mayest be able to profit Peradventure thou mayest strike me with terror.
13 Defecisti in multitudine consiliorum tuorum: stent, et salvent te augures cæli, qui contemplabantur sidera, et supputabant menses, ut ex eis annunciarent ventura tibi.
Thou hast worn thyself out with the mass of thy consultations, —Let them take their stand I pray thee that they may save thee—The dividers of the heavens—The gazers at the stars, They who make known by new moons, Somewhat of the things which shall come upon thee.
14 Ecce facti sunt quasi stipula, ignis combussit eos: non liberabunt animam suam de manu flammæ: non sunt prunæ, quibus calefiant, nec focus, ut sedeant ad eum.
Lo! they have become as straw—a fire, hath burned them up, They shall not deliver their own soul from the grasp of the flame, —There is, no live coal to warm them, nor blaze to sit before.
15 Sic facta sunt tibi in quibuscumque laboraveras: negotiatores tui ab adolescentia tua, unusquisque in via sua erraverunt: non est qui salvet te.
Such, have they become to thee, with whom thou hast wearied thyself, —Thy merchants—from thy youth, will every man stagger straight onwards—There is none to save thee.
