A reading from the book of Jeremiah.

Thus says the Lord,

behold, I will stir up the spirit of a destroyer against Babylon,

against the inhabitants of Lebkhamai,

and I will send to Babylon winnowers, and they shall winnow her,

and they shall empty her land when they come against her from every side on the day of trouble.

Let not the archer bend his bow, and let him not stand up in his armor.

Spare not her young men.

Devote to destruction all her army.

They shall fall down slain in the land of the Chaldeans and wounded in her streets,

for Israel and Judah have not been forsaken by their God, the Lord of hosts,

but the land of the Chaldeans is full of guilt against the Holy One of Israel.

Flee from the midst of Babylon.

Let everyone save his life be not cut off in her punishment,

for this is the time of the Lord's vengeance, the repayment he is rendering her.

Babylon was a golden cup in the Lord's hand, making all the earth drunken.

The nations drank of her wine.

Therefore the nations went mad.

Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been broken.

Whale for her.

Take balm for her pain.

Perhaps she may be healed.

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