¹⁷ See, I will stir up^(A) against them the Medes,^(B)
    who do not care for silver
    and have no delight in gold.^(C)
18 Their bows^(D) will strike down the young men;^(E)
    they will have no mercy^(F) on infants,
    nor will they look with compassion on children.^(G)
19 Babylon,^(H) the jewel of kingdoms,^(I)
    the pride and glory^(J) of the Babylonians,^[a]
will be overthrown^(K) by God
    like Sodom and Gomorrah.^(L)
20 She will never be inhabited^(M)
    or lived in through all generations;
there no nomads^(N) will pitch their tents,
    there no shepherds will rest their flocks.
²¹ But desert creatures^(O) will lie there,
    jackals^(P) will fill her houses;
there the owls^(Q) will dwell,
    and there the wild goats^(R) will leap about.
²² Hyenas^(S) will inhabit her strongholds,^(T)
    jackals^(U) her luxurious palaces.
Her time is at hand,^(V)
    and her days will not be prolonged.^(W)

² A dire^(A) vision has been shown to me:
    The traitor betrays,^(B) the looter takes loot.
Elam,^(C) attack! Media,^(D) lay siege!
    I will bring to an end all the groaning she caused.

² “Who has stirred^(A) up one from the east,^(B)
    calling him in righteousness^(C) to his service^[a]?^(D)
He hands nations over to him
    and subdues kings before him.
He turns them to dust^(E) with his sword,
    to windblown chaff^(F) with his bow.^(G)

²⁸ who says of Cyrus,^(A) ‘He is my shepherd
    and will accomplish all that I please;
he will say of Jerusalem,^(B) “Let it be rebuilt,”
    and of the temple,^(C) “Let its foundations^(D) be laid.”’

45 “This is what the Lord says to his anointed,^(A)
    to Cyrus,^(B) whose right hand I take hold^(C) of
to subdue nations^(D) before him
    and to strip kings of their armor,
to open doors before him
    so that gates will not be shut:
² I will go before you^(E)
    and will level^(F) the mountains^[a];
I will break down gates^(G) of bronze
    and cut through bars of iron.^(H)
3 I will give you hidden treasures,^(I)
    riches stored in secret places,^(J)
so that you may know^(K) that I am the Lord,
    the God of Israel, who summons you by name.^(L)
4 For the sake of Jacob my servant,^(M)
    of Israel my chosen,
I summon you by name
    and bestow on you a title of honor,
    though you do not acknowledge^(N) me.

¹³ I will raise up Cyrus^[a](A) in my righteousness:
    I will make all his ways straight.^(B)
He will rebuild my city^(C)
    and set my exiles free,
but not for a price or reward,^(D)
    says the Lord Almighty.”

¹¹ From the east I summon^(A) a bird of prey;^(B)
    from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose.
What I have said, that I will bring about;
    what I have planned,^(C) that I will do.^(D)