Isaiah 21
1 The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds come from the south, it cometh from the desert from a terrible land.
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.
2 A grievous vision is told me: he that is unfaithful dealeth unfaithfully: and he that is a spoiler, spoileth. Go up, O Elam, besiege, O Mede: I have made all the mourning thereof to cease.
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.
3 Therefore are my loins filled with pain, anguish hath taken hold of me, as the anguish of a woman in labour: I fell down at the hearing of it, I was troubled at the seeing of it.
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.
4 My heart failed, darkness amazed me: Babylon my beloved is become a wonder to me.
My mind is wandering, fear has overcome me: the evening of my desire has been turned into shaking for me.
5 Prepare the table, behold in the watchtower them that eat and drink: arise, ye princes, take up the shield.
They make ready the table, they put down the covers, they take food and drink. Up! you captains; put oil on your breastplates.
6 For thus hath the Lord said to me: Go, and set a watchman: and whatsoever he shall see, let him tell.
For so has the Lord said to me, Go, let a watchman be placed; let him give word of what he sees:
7 And he saw a chariot with two horsemen, a rider upon an ass, and a rider upon a camel: and he beheld them diligently with much heed.
And when he sees war-carriages, horsemen by twos, war-carriages with asses, war-carriages with camels, let him give special attention.
8 And a lion cried out: I am upon the watchtower of the Lord, standing continually by day: and I am upon my ward, standing whole nights.
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:
9 Behold this man cometh, the rider upon the chariot with two horsemen, and he answered, and said: Babylon is fallen, she is fallen, and all the graven gods thereof are broken unto the ground.
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.
10 O my thrashing and the children of my door, that which I have heard of the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, I have declared unto you.
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.
11 The burden of Duma calleth to me out of Seir: Watchman, what of the eight? watchman, what of the night?
The word about Edom. A voice comes to me from Seir, Watchman, how far gone is the night? how far gone is the night?
12 The watchman said: The morning cometh, also the night: if you seek, seek: return, come.
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.
13 The burden in Arabia. In the forest at evening you shall sleep, in the paths of Dedanim.
The word about Arabia. In the thick woods of Arabia will be your night's resting-place, O travelling bands of Dedanites!
14 Meeting the thirsty bring him water, you that inhabit the land of the south, meet with bread him that fleeth.
Give water to him who is in need of water; give bread, O men of the land of Tema, to those in flight.
15 For they are fled from before the swords, from the sword that hung over them, from the bent bow, from the face of a grievous battle.
For they are in flight from the sharp sword, and the bent bow, and from the trouble of war.
16 For thus saith the Lord to me: Within a year, according to the years of a hireling, all the glory of Cedar shall be taken away.
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:
17 And the residue of the number of strong archers of the children of Cedar shall be diminished: for the Lord the God of Israel hath spoken it.
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.
