# General Information:

Yahweh used Babylon to punish Judah and the nation. It is either the people of Judah or the people of the nations who are speaking the words in this quotation.

# Babylon ... she is not healed ... leave her ... her guilt

The name of the city is a metonym for the people who live there, and the city is spoken of as if it were a woman. AT: "the people of Babylon ... they are not healed ... leave them ... their guilt" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# she is not healed

This can be translated in active form. AT: "we have not been able to heal her" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]])

# For her guilt reaches up to the heavens; it is piled up to the clouds

Guilt is spoken of as if it were an object that could be made into a pile. The words "to the heavens" and "to the clouds" are an exaggeration for something that is very high. AT: "For Babylon is so very guilty" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-hyperbole]])

# Yahweh has declared our innocence

Yahweh had punished the Israelites for their sins, but now has let them return to him.

# translationWords

* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/names/babylon]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/guilt]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/heaven]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/yahweh]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/innocent]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/zion]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/works]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/god]]