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Babylon has been like a gold cup of wine in the Lord's hand.
The nations of the world had to drink that wine.[a]
It made everyone become drunk,
and so they all became crazy.
But now Babylon will quickly fall.
An enemy will destroy it, so weep for it!
Find some medicine that will make its wounds better.
Perhaps it will become well again.

The foreign people in Babylon say,

“We tried to make its wounds better,
but it was not possible to do it.
Now we must leave it.
We must each go back to our own country.
Its punishment will have no end.
It will reach as high as the sky!”

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Footnotes

  1. 51:7 The cup of wine is a picture of God's anger. He used Babylon to punish other nations. See Jeremiah 25:15-29.

Babylon was a gold cup(A) in the Lord’s hand;
    she made the whole earth drunk.
The nations drank her wine;
    therefore they have now gone mad.
Babylon will suddenly fall(B) and be broken.
    Wail over her!
Get balm(C) for her pain;
    perhaps she can be healed.

“‘We would have healed Babylon,
    but she cannot be healed;
let us leave(D) her and each go to our own land,
    for her judgment(E) reaches to the skies,
    it rises as high as the heavens.’

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