以賽亞書 21
1 有關瀚海的神諭：猶如風暴由南方掃來；同樣，仇敵將由沙漠，由可怕之地而來。
[I received] this message [from Yahweh about Babylonia], [a land that is] near the [Persian] Gulf [but which will soon be] a desert. [An army] will soon come from the desert to invade that land; it is an army that causes its enemies to be terrified, an army that will come like a whirlwind from the south.
2 一悽慘的神視顯示給我：搶奪的盡量搶奪，破壞的盡量破壞。厄藍，上前！瑪待，圍攻！我要結束所有的嘆息！
Yahweh showed me a terrifying vision. [In the vision I saw an army] that will betray/deceive people and steal their possessions [after they conquer them]. [Yahweh said], “You armies from Elam and Media, surround [Babylon] and prepare to attack it! I will cause the groaning [and suffering] that Babylon caused to cease!”
3 為此我的兩腰滿是酸痛，侵襲我的劇痛無異產婦的痛苦；我惶亂得不能再聽，我昏迷得不能再看。
Because of that, my body is full of pain; my pain is like the pain that women who are giving birth experience. When I hear about and see [what God is planning to do], I am shocked.
4 我的心神錯亂了，恐怖驟然襲擊了我；我所渴望的黃昏，為我反成了恐怖。
I cannot think straight/correctly, and I tremble. I was eager for it to be nighttime, but now it is night, and I am horrified.
5 盛宴已擺，華毯已舖，人們正在吃喝之際：「將帥們！起來！用油擦盾！」
[In the vision I saw that the leaders of Babylonia] were preparing a great feast. They had spread rugs [for people to sit on]; everyone was eating and drinking. [But] they should get up and prepare their shields, [because they are about to be attacked]!
6 因為吾主對我這樣說：「去！派置一個警衛，叫他報告他所見的！
Then Yahweh said to me, “Put a watchman [on the wall of Jerusalem], and tell him to shout/proclaim what he sees.
7 當他見到騎兵隊、一對一對的馬兵、驢隊和駱駝隊時，他要注意，要多多注意！」
Tell him to watch for chariots pulled by pairs of horses, and [men riding] camels and donkeys, [coming from Babylon]. Tell the watchman to watch and listen carefully!”
8 守望者喊叫：「吾主！我整日站在瞭望台上，長夜鵠立在我的守望所。
[So I did that], and one day the watchman called out, “Day after day I have stood on this watchtower, and I have continued to watch during the day and during the night.
9 看哪！來了一隊人馬，一對一對的騎兵！」有一個喊叫說：「陷落了！巴比倫陷落了！她所有的神像也都摔碎在地！」
Now, I saw a man riding in a chariot pulled by two horses. [I called out to him], and he answered/shouted, ‘Babylon has been destroyed! All the idols in Babylon lie in pieces on the ground!’”
10 我那被碾軋的百姓，我那禾場上的子民！凡是我由萬軍的上主，以色列的天主所聽到的，我都告訴了你們。
My people [in Judah], [the army of Babylon has caused] you to suffer greatly [as though] [MET] you were grain that was threshed and (winnowed/thrown up into the air for the wind to blow away the chaff). [But now] I have told you what the Commander of the armies of angels the God whom we Israelis [worship], told me [about Babylon].
11 有關厄東的神諭：從色依爾有人向我喊叫說：「警衛！夜已何時了﹖夜已何時了﹖」
[I received] this message [from Yahweh] about Edom: Someone from Edom has been calling/shouting to me saying, “Watchman, how long will it be before the night is ended? [DOU]”
12 警衛答說：「黎明已至，然而仍是黑夜；如果你們仍要詢問，詢問罷！再來一次！」
[I], the watchman, replied, “It will [soon] be morning, but after that, it will [soon] be night again. If you want to inquire [again about what will happen in our country], come back and inquire again.”
13 有關荒野的神諭：你們在森林中，在荒野裏過宿罷！德丹的商旅，
[I received] this message about Arabia: Give this message to people traveling in caravans from Dedan [town in northwest Arabia], who camp in the scrub there. Tell them to bring water for those who are thirsty.
14 請攜水出來迎接口渴的人！特瑪地的居民，請備糧接待逃難的人！
And you people who live in Tema [city in northwest Arabia], must bring food for the (refugees/people who are fleeing from their enemies).
15 因為他們出逃，是由於面臨刀劍，面臨出鞘的刀劍，面臨已張的弓弩，面臨激烈的戰爭。
They are fleeing in order not to be killed by [their enemies’] swords and not to be shot in battles by arrows.
16 上主曾這樣對我說：「照僱工的年限計，還有三年，刻達爾所有的榮耀都要完結；
Yahweh said to me, “Exactly one year from now, all the greatness of the Kedar [area in Arabia] will end.
17 刻達爾子民的英勇弓手人數，剩下的很少。」因為上主以色列的天主，早就這樣說了。
Only a few of their soldiers who know well how to shoot arrows will remain alive. [That will surely happen] because [I], Yahweh, have said it.”
