Esajas 21

1 Profeti imod Havets Ørk. Ligesom Hvirvelvinde fare frem i Syden, saa kommer det fra Ørken, fra det forfærdelige Land.

THE VISION OF THE DESERT. As though a whirlwind should pass through the desert, coming from a desert, [even] from such a land,

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.

[so] a fearful and a grievous vision was declared to me: he that is treacherous deals treacherously, the transgressor transgresses. The Elamites are upon me, and the ambassadors of the Persians come against me: now will I groan and comfort myself.

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.

Therefore are my loins filled with feebleness, and pangs have seized me as a travailing woman: I dealt wrongfully that I might not hear; I hasted that I might not see.

4 Mit Hjerte er forvildet, Gru har forfærdet mig, Tusmørket, som var min Lyst, er blevet mig til Rædsel.

My heart wanders, and transgression overwhelms me; my soul is occupied with fear.

5 Man dækker Bord, Vagten vaager, man æder, man drikker; — „gører eder rede, I Fyrster! salver Skjoldet!‟

Prepare the table, eat, drink: arise, you princes, and prepare [your] shields.

6 Thi saa sagde Herren til mig: Gak, sæt en Vægter ud, lad ham kundgøre, hvad han ser.

For thus said the Lord to me, Go and station a watchman for yourself, and declare whatever you shall see.

7 Og ser han Vogne, Ryttere parvis, Vogne, dragne af Asener, Vogne, dragne af Kameler, da skal han give Agt, nøje Agt.

And I saw two mounted horsemen, and a rider on an ass, and a rider on a camel.

8 Og han raabte som en Løve: Herre! jeg staar stadig paa Vagt om Dagen, jeg staar paa min Vare hver Nat.

Listen with great attention, and call you Urias to the watch-tower: the Lord has spoken. I stood continually during the day, and I stood in the camp all 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!

and, behold, he comes riding in a chariot and pair: and he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all her images and her idols have been crushed to the ground.

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.

Hear, you that are left, and you that are in pain, hear what things I have heard of the Lord of hosts [which] the God of Israel has declared to us. THE VISION OF IDUMEA.

11 Profeti imod Duma. Der raaber en til mig fra Seir: Vægter, hvordan skrider Natten? Vægter, hvordan skrider Natten?

Call to me out of Seir; guard you the bulwarks.

12 Vægteren siger: Der kommer Morgen, men ogsaa Nat; ville I spørge, saa spørger! kommer igen en anden Gang.

I watch in the morning and the night: if you would enquire, enquire, and dwell by me.

13 Profeti imod Arabien. I skulle blive Natten over i Skoven i Arabien, I rejsende Hobe af Dedaniter!

You may lodge in the forest in the evening, or in the way of Daedan.

14 De komme den tørstige i Møde med Vand; Indbyggerne i Themas Land møde den flygtende med Brød.

You that dwell in the country of Thaeman, bring water to meet him that is thirsty;

15 Thi de flyede for Sværd, for det dragne Sværd, for den spændte Bue og for den svare Krig.

meet the fugitives with bread, because of the multitude of the slain, and because of the multitude of them that lose their way, and because of the multitude of swords, and because of the multitude of bent bows, and because of the multitude of them that have fallen in war.

16 Thi saa sagde Herren til mig: Endnu inden et Aar, som en Daglønners Aar, da skal al Kedars Herlighed faa Ende.

For thus said the Lord to me, Yet a year, as the year of an hireling, [and] the glory of the sons of Kedar shall fail:

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 remnant of the strong bows of the sons of Kedar shall be small: for the Lord God of Israel has spoken [it].