Every ship’s captain, everyone who traveled by ship, sailors, and everyone who made their living from the sea stood far away. When they saw the smoke rise from her [Babylon] raging fire, they repeatedly cried out, ‘Was there ever a city as important as this?’ Then they threw dust on their heads and shouted while crying and mourning,

‘How horrible, how horrible 

   for that important city.
     Everyone who had a ship at sea
grew rich because of that city’s high prices.

In one moment it has been destroyed!’