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Downfall of the King of Babylon

3 When the Lord has given you rest from your pain and turmoil and the hard service with which you were made to serve, ⁴you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon:
How the oppressor has ceased!
   How his insolence^* has ceased!
⁵ The Lord has broken the staff of the wicked,
   the sceptre of rulers,
⁶ that struck down the peoples in wrath
   with unceasing blows,
that ruled the nations in anger
   with unrelenting persecution.
⁷ The whole earth is at rest and quiet;
   they break forth into singing.
⁸ The cypresses exult over you,
   the cedars of Lebanon, saying,
‘Since you were laid low,
   no one comes to cut us down.’
¹² How you are fallen from heaven,
   O Day Star, son of Dawn!
How you are cut down to the ground,
   you who laid the nations low!
¹⁶ Those who see you will stare at you,
   and ponder over you:
‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble,
   who shook kingdoms,
¹⁷ who made the world like a desert
   and overthrew its cities,
   who would not let his prisoners go home?’