Isaiah 47:7-15

7You boasted, “I will rule other nations as queen for ever!” But you did not think about what you were doing. You did not think about what would happen in the end.

8So listen to me, Babylon! You love to enjoy expensive things. You think that you are strong and safe. You say to yourself, “Here I am! There is nobody as good as I am. I will never be alone as a widow. I will never lose my children.”

9But both of those things will happen to you! They will happen suddenly, in only one day. You will lose your children and you will become a widow. All these troubles will come to hurt you. You can use all your powerful magic but you will not stop this trouble!

10You thought that your evil deeds would keep you safe. You said, “Nobody sees me!” You think that you are very wise and that you know everything. But your wisdom has deceived you. You say, “Here I am! There is nobody as good as I am.”

11But trouble will suddenly come to you. Your magic words will not stop it. Trouble will come and destroy you. You cannot pay anyone to take it away. It will suddenly hit you, before you even recognize it.

12So continue with your magic, if you want to. Say your magic words. You have always used that magic, since you were young. Perhaps your magic will help you. Perhaps you will frighten your enemies!

13You receive a lot of advice, and it has made you become tired. Let your advisors come and stand there. They study the sky and the stars to decide what will happen. They say what will happen each month. So let them come and help you! See if they can rescue you from the trouble that is coming!

14But they are as useless as straw that quickly burns in a fire. They cannot save themselves, because the fire is too hot! This is not a nice fire to sit beside and enjoy the heat.

15You have worked with those magicians since you were young, but you will have no help from them now. They have gone their own separate ways. There is nobody left who can save you.’