Ukuwa kweBabiloni
1Emva kwalokho ngabona enye ingelosi yehla ezulwini, inamandla amakhulu, nomhlaba wakhanyiswa ngokukhazimula kwayo. 2Yamemeza ngezwi elinamandla, yathi: “Liwile, liwile iBabiloni elikhulu, selibe yindawo yokuhlala amademoni, nendawo yokubopha bonke omoya abangcolileyo, nendawo yokubopha zonke izinyoni ezingcolileyo nezizondekayo, 3ngokuba izizwe zonke ziphuzile iwayini lobufebe balo, namakhosi omhlaba afebile nalo, nabathengisi bomhlaba bacebile ngamandla okutamasa kwalo.”
4Ngase ngizwa elinye izwi livela ezulwini, lithi: “Phumani kulo, bantu bami, ukuze ningahlanganyeli nalo izono zalo, nokuba ningamukeli okwezinhlupho zalo, 5ngokuba izono zalo zifinyelele ezulwini, noNkulunkulu wakhumbula ukungalungi kwalo. 6Buyiselani kulo njengalokho lona likwenzile, niphinde kabili okwemisebenzi yalo; esitsheni elalixuba kuso, xubani kabili kuso; 7ngokungangalokho elizidumise latamasa ngakho, linikeni ukuhlupheka nokulila okungako. Ngokuba enhliziyweni yalo lithi: ‘Ngihlezi ngiyinkosikazi, angisiye umfelokazi, futhi angisoze ngabona ukulila.’ 8Ngakho kuyakufika ngalusuku lunye izinhlupheko zalo, ukufa, nokulila, nendlala, futhi liyakushiswa liqedwe ngomlilo; ngokuba iNkosi uNkulunkulu elahlulelayo inamandla.
9“Amakhosi omhlaba ayefeba nalo ehlala ngokutamasa ayakukhala ambongoze ngalo, nxa ebona umusi wokusha kwalo, 10emi kude ngokwesaba ukuhlupheka kwalo ethi: ‘Maye, maye kuwe muzi omkhulu waseBabiloni, muzi onamandla, ngokuba ngehora linye nje, kufikile ukwahlulelwa kwakho!’
11“Nabathengisi bomhlaba bayalikhalela, balililele, ngokuba impahla yabo ayisathengwa muntu, 12impahla yegolide neyesiliva, namatshe anenani, namaparele*, nelineni elicolekileyo, nokububende, nosilika, nokubomvu, kanye nemithi yonke enamakha, nezitsha zonke zamazinyo endlovu, nezitsha zonke zomuthi onenani elikhulu, nezethusi, nezensimbi, nezetshe elimhlophe, 13nokinamona,* nokunephunga elimnandi, nempepho, namafutha okuqhola, nenhlaka, newayini, namafutha eminqumo, nempuphu ecolekileyo, nokolweni, nezinkomo, nezimvu, namahhashi, nezinqola, nezigqila, nemiphefumulo yabantu.
14“Nezithelo ezazifiswa ngumphefumulo wakho zimukile kuwe, nakho konke okunonileyo nokucwebezelayo konakele kuwe, akusoze kwabuye kufunyanwe. 15Abathengisi balezo zinto abacetshisiwe yilo bayakumela kude ngokwesaba ukuhlupheka kwalo, bekhala belila, 16bethi: ‘Maye, maye kuwe muzi omkhulu owawembethe ilineni elicolekileyo, nokububende, nokubomvu, uvunule ngegolide nangamatshe anenani nangamaparele!* 17Ngokuba ngehora linye nje ingcebo engaka ichithekile.’
“Nabashayeli bonke bemikhumbi, nabo bonke abaya nomaphi ngomkhumbi, namatilosi,* nabo bonke abasebenza elwandle bemela kude, 18badazuluka bebona umusi wokusha kwalo, bethi: ‘Ngumuphi umuzi ofana nalowo muzi omkhulu na?’ 19Base bethela uthuli emakhanda abo, badazuluka bekhala, belila bethi: ‘Maye, maye kuwe muzi omkhulu, abacebile kuwe bonke abanemikhumbi elwandle ngenxa yengcebo enqabileyo yakho, ngokuba ngehora linye nje uchithekile! 20Thokoza ngawo wena zulu, nani bangcwele, nani baphostoli, nani baprofethi; ngokuba uNkulunkulu uwahlulele, waniphindiselela kuwo.’ ”
21Ingelosi enamandla yafukula itshe linjengelokusila elikhulu, yaliphonsa elwandle, yathi: “Ngokunjalo iBabiloni umuzi omkhulu liyakuphonswa phansi ngamandla, lingabe lisafunyanwa. 22Izwi lababetha ihabhu* nelabahlabeleli nelababetha imitshingo namacilongo alisoze laphinda lizwakale kuwe, namuphi umlumbi noma owaluphi uhlobo akasoze wafunyaniswa kuwe, nomsindo wetshe lokusila awusoze wabuye uzwakale kuwe, 23nokukhanya kwesibani akusoze kwaphinda kukhanye phakathi kwakho, nezwi lomyeni nelomlobokazi alisoze labuye lizwakale phakathi kwakho, ngokuba izizwe zonke zidukisiwe ngokuthakatha kwakho, 24futhi kwafunyaniswa kuwe igazi labaprofethi nelabangcwele nelabo bonke ababebulewe emhlabeni.”
