Isaiah 21

1 This is the burden against the Desert by the Sea: Like whirlwinds sweeping through the Negev, an invader comes from the desert, from a land of terror.

The burden of the wilderness of the sea. As whirlwinds in the South sweeping on, it cometh from the wilderness, from a dreadful land.

2 A dire vision is declared to me: “The traitor still betrays, and the destroyer still destroys. Go up, O Elam! Lay siege, O Media! I will put an end to all her groaning.”

A grievous vision is declared unto me: 'The treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam! besiege, O Media! All the sighing thereof have I made to cease.'

3 Therefore my body is filled with anguish. Pain grips me, like the pains of a woman in labor. I am bewildered to hear, I am dismayed to see.

Therefore are my loins filled with convulsion; pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman in travail; I am bent so that I cannot hear; I am affrighted so that I cannot see.

4 My heart falters; fear makes me tremble. The twilight of my desire has turned to horror.

My heart is bewildered, terror hath overwhelmed me; the twilight that I longed for hath been turned for me into trembling.

5 They prepare a table, they lay out a carpet, they eat, they drink! Rise up, O princes, oil the shields!

They prepare the table, they light the lamps, they eat, they drink — 'Rise up, ye princes, anoint the shield.'

6 For this is what the Lord says to me: “Go, post a lookout and have him report what he sees.

For thus hath the Lord said unto me: Go, set a watchman; let him declare what he seeth!

7 When he sees chariots with teams of horsemen, riders on donkeys, riders on camels, he must be alert, fully alert.”

And when he seeth a troop, horsemen by pairs, a troop of asses, a troop of camels, he shall hearken diligently with much heed.

8 Then the lookout shouted: “Day after day, my lord, I stand on the watchtower; night after night I stay at my post.

And he cried as a lion: 'Upon the watch-tower, O Lord, I stand continually in the daytime, and I am set in my ward all the nights.'

9 Look, here come the riders, horsemen in pairs.” And one answered, saying: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon! All the images of her gods lie shattered on the ground!”

And, behold, there came a troop of men, horsemen by pairs. And he spoke and said: 'Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the graven images of her gods are broken unto the ground.'

10 O my people, crushed on the threshing floor, I tell you what I have heard from the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel.

O thou my threshing, and the winnowing of my floor, that which I have heard from the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you.

11 This is the burden against Dumah: One calls to me from Seir, “Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night?”

The burden of Dumah. One calleth unto me out of Seir: 'Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?'

12 The watchman replies, “Morning has come, but also the night. If you would inquire, then inquire. Come back yet again.”

The watchman said: 'The morning cometh, and also the night — if ye will inquire, inquire ye; return, come.'

13 This is the burden against Arabia: In the thickets of Arabia you must lodge, O caravans of Dedanites.

The burden upon Arabia. In the thickets in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye caravans of Dedanites.

14 Bring water for the thirsty, O dwellers of Tema; meet the refugees with food.

Unto him that is thirsty bring ye water! The inhabitants of the land of Tema did meet the fugitive with his bread.

15 For they flee from the sword— the sword that is drawn— from the bow that is bent, and from the stress of battle.

For they fled away from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.

16 For this is what the Lord says to me: “Within one year, as a hired worker would count it, all the glory of Kedar will be gone.

For thus hath the Lord said unto me: 'Within a year, according to the years of a hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail;

17 The remaining archers, the warriors of Kedar, will be few.” For the LORD, the God of Israel, has spoken.

and the residue of the number of the archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be diminished; for the LORD, the God of Israel, hath spoken it.'