for all nations have drunk of the poisonous wine of her idolatry, the kings of the earth have submitted to her idolatries, and the merchants of the earth are grown rich through the abundance of her delicacies. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, come out of her, my people, that ye may not be partakers of her sins, nor share in her plagues: for her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembred her iniquities. read more.
reward her according to her dealings, and repay her double, according to her works: give her twice as much in the same cup which she gave you to drink, give her torment and pain in proportion to her pride and luxury; for she said in her heart, "I am enthron'd like a queen, I am no widow, and shall see no sorrow." therefore shall her plagues come, mortality, mourning, and famine all at once: and she shall be consumed with fire: for the Lord God, who condemns her, is almighty. the kings of the earth, the accomplices of her licentiousness and luxury, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her conflagration, frightned at her torments they will stand afar off, and cry, "alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! what! is thy condemnation so suddenly come?" the merchants of the earth shall bewail and mourn over her, because there are none to purchase their cargo: their gold, and silver, precious stones, and pearls, fine linnen, and purple, their silk, scarlet, and all sort of citron wood, their various vessels of ivory, and of precious wood, of brass, iron, and marble: nor their cinnamon, perfumes, essences, and frankincense; nor their wine, oil, fine flour, and wheat; their cattle, sheep, horses, and chariots; nor the servile souls of men. the fruits, the object of your delight, are departed from thee, all your delicacy and magnificence are lost, beyond the possibility of a recovery! the merchants of these wares who were enrich'd by her, shall stand afar off, under the dread of her torments, with tears and lamentations, crying, alas, alas, that great city, that was cloathed in fine linnen, purple, and scarlet: decked with gold, precious stones and pearls: her wealth is all sunk in a moment! the pilots and the passengers: the ships-crew, and the super-cargo's shall stand afar off, and cry out, when they see the smoke of her burning, what city could be compar'd to this great city? they will scatter dust on their heads, and cry with tears, and bemoaning, "alas, alas, that great city, which enrich'd all the traders by sea, by the consumption she made: how is she reduc'd to a desert, in an instant!"