Esajas 21
1 Profeti imod Havets Ørk. Ligesom Hvirvelvinde fare frem i Syden, saa kommer det fra Ørken, fra det forfærdelige Land.
The word about the waste land. As storm-winds in the South go rushing through, it comes from the waste land, from the land greatly to be feared.
2 Mig er kundgjort et haardt Syn: Røveren røver, og Ødelæggeren ødelægger; drag op, Elam! træng paa Madaj! jeg har gjort, at hvert Suk hører op.
A vision of fear comes before my eyes; the worker of deceit goes on in his false way, and the waster goes on making waste. Up! Elam; to the attack! Media; I have put an end to her sorrow.
3 Derfor ere mine Lænder fulde af Smerter, Veer have betaget mig ligesom Veer den fødende; jeg vrider mig, saa jeg ikke kan høre, jeg er forfærdet, saa at jeg ikke kan se.
For this cause I am full of bitter grief; pains like the pains of a woman in childbirth have come on me: I am bent down with sorrow at what comes to my ears; I am shocked by what I see.
4 Mit Hjerte er forvildet, Gru har forfærdet mig, Tusmørket, som var min Lyst, er blevet mig til Rædsel.
My mind is wandering, fear has overcome me: the evening of my desire has been turned into shaking for me.
5 Man dækker Bord, Vagten vaager, man æder, man drikker; — „gører eder rede, I Fyrster! salver Skjoldet!‟
They make ready the table, they put down the covers, they take food and drink. Up! you captains; put oil on your breastplates.
6 Thi saa sagde Herren til mig: Gak, sæt en Vægter ud, lad ham kundgøre, hvad han ser.
For so has the Lord said to me, Go, let a watchman be placed; let him give word of what he sees:
7 Og ser han Vogne, Ryttere parvis, Vogne, dragne af Asener, Vogne, dragne af Kameler, da skal han give Agt, nøje Agt.
And when he sees war-carriages, horsemen by twos, war-carriages with asses, war-carriages with camels, let him give special attention.
8 Og han raabte som en Løve: Herre! jeg staar stadig paa Vagt om Dagen, jeg staar paa min Vare hver Nat.
And the watchman gave a loud cry, O my lord, I am on the watchtower all day, and am placed in my watch every night:
9 Og se! da kom der Vogne med Folk, Ryttere parvis; og han svarede og sagde: Babel er falden, den er falden, og man har kastet alle dens Gudebilleder knuste til Jorden!
See, here come war-carriages with men, horsemen by twos: and in answer he said, Babylon is made low, is made low, and all her images are broken on the earth.
10 Du, min tærskede, og du, som har været lagt paa min Lo! det, jeg hørte af den Herre Zebaoth, Israels Gud, kundgjorde jeg eder.
O my crushed ones, the grain of my floor! I have given you the word which came to me from the Lord of armies, the God of Israel.
11 Profeti imod Duma. Der raaber en til mig fra Seir: Vægter, hvordan skrider Natten? Vægter, hvordan skrider Natten?
The word about Edom. A voice comes to me from Seir, Watchman, how far gone is the night? how far gone is the night?
12 Vægteren siger: Der kommer Morgen, men ogsaa Nat; ville I spørge, saa spørger! kommer igen en anden Gang.
The watchman says, The morning has come, but night is still to come: if you have questions to put, put them, and come back again.
13 Profeti imod Arabien. I skulle blive Natten over i Skoven i Arabien, I rejsende Hobe af Dedaniter!
The word about Arabia. In the thick woods of Arabia will be your night's resting-place, O travelling bands of Dedanites!
14 De komme den tørstige i Møde med Vand; Indbyggerne i Themas Land møde den flygtende med Brød.
Give water to him who is in need of water; give bread, O men of the land of Tema, to those in flight.
15 Thi de flyede for Sværd, for det dragne Sværd, for den spændte Bue og for den svare Krig.
For they are in flight from the sharp sword, and the bent bow, and from the trouble of war.
16 Thi saa sagde Herren til mig: Endnu inden et Aar, som en Daglønners Aar, da skal al Kedars Herlighed faa Ende.
For so has the Lord said to me, In a year, by the years of a servant working for payment, all the glory of Kedar will come to an end:
17 Og Tallet af Buerne, som blive tilbage for de vældige af Kedars Børn, skal formindskes; thi Herren, Israels Gud, har talt det.
And the rest of the bowmen, the men of war of the children of Kedar, will be small in number: for the Lord, the God of Israel, has said it.
