Isaiah 21
1 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.
[the] oracle of [the] wilderness of [the] sea Like storm-winds in the south to sweep on from [the] wilderness [someone is] coming from a land to be feared.
2 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.
A vision severe it has been told to me the traitor - [is] acting treacherously and the destroyer - [is] destroying go up O Elam lay siege O Media all groaning its I will cause to cease.
3 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.
There-fore they are full loins my anguish pangs they have seized me like [the] pangs of [a woman who] gives birth I am bent over from hearing I am terrified from seeing.
4 My mind is wandering, fear has overcome me: the evening of my desire has been turned into shaking for me.
It has wandered heart my shuddering it has overwhelmed me [the] twilight of desire my it has made for me trembling.
5 They make ready the table, they put down the covers, they take food and drink. Up! you captains; put oil on your breastplates.
They are arranging the table they are spreading out the rug eating drinking arise O officials smear a shield.
6 For so has the Lord said to me, Go, let a watchman be placed; let him give word of what he sees:
For thus he has said to me [the] Lord go station the watchman [that] which he will see let him tell.
7 And when he sees war-carriages, horsemen by twos, war-carriages with asses, war-carriages with camels, let him give special attention.
And he will see a rider a pair of horses a rider of a donkey a rider of a camel and he will pay attention attentiveness greatness of attentiveness.
8 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:
And he called out a lion on a watchtower - O Lord I [am] standing continually by day and at post my I [am] stationed all the nights.
9 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.
And there! this [is] coming a rider a man a pair of horses and he answered and he said it has fallen it has fallen Babylon and all [the] images of gods its someone has broken to the ground.
10 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.
O threshed one my and [the] son of threshing floor my [that] which I have heard from with Yahweh of hosts [the] God of Israel I have told to you.
11 The word about Edom. A voice comes to me from Seir, Watchman, how far gone is the night? how far gone is the night?
[the] oracle of Dumah to me [someone is] calling from Seir O watchman what? [is] from [the] night O watchman what? [is] from [the] night.
12 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.
He says [the] watchman it will come morning and also night if you will enquire! enquire return come.
13 The word about Arabia. In the thick woods of Arabia will be your night's resting-place, O travelling bands of Dedanites!
[the] oracle On Arabia in the thicket[s] in Arabia you will lodge O caravans of Dedanites.
14 Give water to him who is in need of water; give bread, O men of the land of Tema, to those in flight.
To meet [the] thirsty bring water O inhabitants of [the] land of Tema with bread his they met fugitive[s].
15 For they are in flight from the sharp sword, and the bent bow, and from the trouble of war.
For from before swords they have fled from before - a sword drawn and from before a bow bent and from before [the] weight of battle.
16 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:
For thus he has said [the] Lord to me in yet a year like [the] years of a hired laborer and it will be finished all [the] splendor of Kedar.
17 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.
And [the] remnant of a number of bowmen [the] warriors of [the] people of Kedar they will be few for Yahweh [the] God of Israel he has spoken.
