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. 'Like hurricanes in the south for passing through, From the wilderness it hath come, From a fearful 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 hard vision hath been declared to me, The treacherous dealer is dealing treacherously, And the destroyer is destroying. Go up, O Elam, besiege, O Media, All its sighing I have caused 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 filled have been my loins [with] great pain, Pangs have seized me as pangs of a travailing woman, I have been bent down by hearing, I have been troubled by seeing.

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

Wandered hath my heart, trembling hath terrified me, The twilight of my desire He hath made a fear to me,

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

Arrange the table, watch in the watch-tower, Eat, drink, rise, ye heads, 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 said the Lord unto me: 'Go, station the watchman, That which he seeth let him declare.'

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

And he hath seen a chariot — a couple of horsemen, The rider of an ass, the rider of a camel, And he hath given attention — He hath increased attention!

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 crieth — a lion, 'On a watch-tower my lord, I am standing continually by day, And on my ward I am stationed whole 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 lo, this, the chariot of a man is coming, A couple of horsemen.' And he answereth and saith: 'Fallen, fallen hath Babylon, And all the graven images of her gods He hath broken to the earth.

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 my threshing, and the son of my floor, That which I heard from Jehovah of Hosts, God of Israel, I have declared to 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. Unto me is [one] calling from 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 hath said, 'Come hath morning, and also night, If ye inquire, inquire ye, turn back, come.'

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

The burden on Arabia. In a forest in Arabia ye lodge, O travellers of Dedanim.

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

To meet the thirsty brought water have Inhabitants of the land of Tema, With his bread they came before a fugitive.

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 from the face of destructions they fled, From the face of a stretched-out sword, And from the face of a trodden bow, And from the face of the grievousness of battle.

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 said the Lord unto me: 'Within a year, as years of a hireling, Consumed hath been all the honour of Kedar.

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

And the remnant of the number of bow-men, The mighty of the sons of Kedar are few, For Jehovah, God of Israel, hath spoken!'