Isaiah 21
1 The burden of the desert of the sea. Just as the whirlwinds approach from Africa, it approaches from the desert, from a terrible land.
Inilah pesan tentang Babel: Seperti angin puyuh mendesing lewat padang gurun, begitulah datangnya bencana dari negeri yang dahsyat.
2 A difficult vision has been announced to me: he who is unbelieving, he acts unfaithfully, and he who is a plunderer, he devastates. Ascend, O Elam! Lay siege, O Media! I have caused all its mourning to cease.
Aku mendapat penglihatan tentang kejadian-kejadian yang mengerikan; tentang pengkhianatan dan pembinasaan. Majulah, laskar Elam, serbulah! Hai laskar Madai, kepunglah! Allah akan mengakhiri semua penderitaan yang disebabkan oleh Babel.
3 Because of this, my lower back has been filled with pain, and anguish has possessed me, like the anguish of a woman in labor. I fell down when I heard it. I was disturbed when I saw it.
Penglihatan itu membuat aku bingung sampai tak dapat melihat atau mendengar lagi. Aku ketakutan dan kesakitan, seperti seorang wanita yang sedang bersalin.
4 My heart withered. The darkness stupefied me. Babylon, my beloved, has become a wonder to me.
Hatiku gelisah; rasa ngeri membuat aku gemetar. Malam yang kurindukan hanya membawa kegentaran.
5 Prepare the table. Contemplate, from a place of observation, those who eat and drink. Rise up, you leaders! Take up the shield!
Kulihat juga perjamuan pesta yang sudah disiapkan; tempat duduk untuk para undangan tersedia. Mereka makan dan minum. Tiba-tiba terdengar perintah: "Hai perwira-perwira! Siapkan perisaimu!"
6 For the Lord has said this to me: “Go and station a watchman. And let him announce whatever he will see.”
Lalu TUHAN berkata kepadaku, "Pergilah menempatkan seorang penjaga dan suruh dia melaporkan apa yang dilihatnya.
7 And he saw a chariot with two horsemen, and a rider on a donkey, and a rider on a camel. And he considered them diligently, with an intense gaze.
Kalau ia melihat pasukan berkuda datang berdua-dua, pasukan yang mengendarai keledai dan unta, ia harus mengamatinya baik-baik."
8 And a lion cried out: “I am on the watchtower of the Lord, standing continually by day. And I am at my station, standing throughout the night.
Kemudian penjaga itu berseru, "Tuan, saya sudah berjaga setiap hari siang dan malam."
9 Behold, a certain man approaches, a man riding on a two-horse chariot.” And he responded, and he said: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon! And all its graven gods have been crushed into the earth!
Lihat, itulah mereka! Pasukan berkuda yang datang berdua-dua. Kemudian penjaga itu mengabarkan, "Babel sudah jatuh! Patung-patung pujaan mereka hancur berserakan di tanah."
10 O my threshed grain! O sons of my threshing floor! What I have heard from the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, I have announced to you.”
Bangsaku Israel! Engkau telah dipijak-pijak dan diinjak-injak seperti butir-butir gandum. Sekarang kusampaikan kepadamu kabar baik yang kudengar dari TUHAN Yang Mahakuasa, Allah Israel.
11 The burden of Dumah, cried out to me from Seir: “Watchman, how goes the night? Watchman, how goes the night?”
Inilah pesan tentang Edom. Ada orang berseru kepadaku dari Edom, "Hai, penjaga, masih lamakah malam ini? Berapa jam lagi sebelum pagi?"
12 The watchman said: “Morning approaches with the night. If you are seeking: seek, and convert, and approach.”
Jawabku, "Pagi akan datang, tetapi malam juga. Kalau mau bertanya, datanglah bertanya lagi."
13 The burden in Arabia. In the forest you shall sleep, in the evening on the paths of Dedanim.
Inilah pesan tentang Arab: Hai, orang Dedan, kafilah-kafilahmu berkemah di semak belukar tanah Arab.
14 You who inhabit the land of the south: upon meeting the thirsty, bring water; meet the fugitive with bread.
Hai penduduk tanah Tema, berilah minum kepada orang-orang kehausan yang datang kepadamu, dan berilah makan kepada para pengungsi.
15 For they are fleeing before the face of swords, before the face of a sword hanging over them, before the face of a bent bow, before the face of a grievous battle.
Sebab mereka telah melarikan diri dari pedang yang terhunus, dari busur yang dilenturkan, dan dari perang yang sedang berkecamuk.
16 For the Lord said this to me: “After one more year, just like one year for a hired hand, all the glory of Kedar will be taken away.
Lalu TUHAN berkata kepadaku, "Tepat satu tahun lagi kejayaan suku-suku Kedar akan berakhir.
17 And the remainder of the multitude of strong archers from the sons of Kedar will be few, for the Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken it.”
Pemanah-pemanah Kedar adalah orang yang paling perkasa. Tetapi hanya sedikit dari mereka akan selamat. Aku, TUHAN Allah Israel telah berbicara."
