Isaiah 21
1 A message about the desert by the sea. Like storm winds passing through the Negev, something is coming from the desert, from a land of terror—
有關瀚海的神諭：猶如風暴由南方掃來；同樣，仇敵將由沙漠，由可怕之地而來。
2 a horrifying vision that has been explained to me. The betrayer still betrays; the destroyer still destroys. Elamites and Medes, go ahead, attack and lay siege to Babylon, for I'm putting a stop to all the pain it has caused.
一悽慘的神視顯示給我：搶奪的盡量搶奪，破壞的盡量破壞。厄藍，上前！瑪待，圍攻！我要結束所有的嘆息！
3 As a result my body is filled with agony. I'm overwhelmed with pain, like the pain of a woman giving birth. I am confused by what I hear; I am distressed by what I see.
為此我的兩腰滿是酸痛，侵襲我的劇痛無異產婦的痛苦；我惶亂得不能再聽，我昏迷得不能再看。
4 My mind falters; I shake in panic. The night I looked forward to has become terrifying.
我的心神錯亂了，恐怖驟然襲擊了我；我所渴望的黃昏，為我反成了恐怖。
5 They set the table, they spread out the rugs, they eat and drink… “Get up, officers! Prepare your shields for battle!”
盛宴已擺，華毯已舖，人們正在吃喝之際：「將帥們！起來！用油擦盾！」
6 This is what the Lord told me: “Go! Have a lookout keep watch, and make sure he reports what he sees.
因為吾主對我這樣說：「去！派置一個警衛，叫他報告他所見的！
7 When he sees chariots coming pulled by pairs of horses, riders on donkeys and on camels, he should watch very carefully, paying close attention.”
當他見到騎兵隊、一對一對的馬兵、驢隊和駱駝隊時，他要注意，要多多注意！」
8 Then the lookout shouted “Sir, I've stood here on the watchtower day after day; night after night I've remained at my post.
守望者喊叫：「吾主！我整日站在瞭望台上，長夜鵠立在我的守望所。
9 Now look! A man in a chariot with a pair of horses is coming.” Then he said, “Babylon has fallen, has fallen! All the idols of its gods lie smashed on the ground!”
看哪！來了一隊人馬，一對一對的騎兵！」有一個喊叫說：「陷落了！巴比倫陷落了！她所有的神像也都摔碎在地！」
10 My poor downtrodden people, so badly mistreated, I have told you what I have heard from the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel.
我那被碾軋的百姓，我那禾場上的子民！凡是我由萬軍的上主，以色列的天主所聽到的，我都告訴了你們。
11 A message about Edom. A voice is calling to me from Seir, asking, “Watchman, what time of night is it? Watchman, what time of night is it?”
有關厄東的神諭：從色依爾有人向我喊叫說：「警衛！夜已何時了﹖夜已何時了﹖」
12 The watchman replies, “Morning is coming, but the night is coming again soon. If you want to ask again, then come back and ask.”
警衛答說：「黎明已至，然而仍是黑夜；如果你們仍要詢問，詢問罷！再來一次！」
13 A message about Arabia. Caravans from Dedan, spend the night in the bushes.
有關荒野的神諭：你們在森林中，在荒野裏過宿罷！德丹的商旅，
14 People of Tema, take water to the thirsty, meet the refugees with food.
請攜水出來迎接口渴的人！特瑪地的居民，請備糧接待逃難的人！
15 They're running away from a fierce battle, from swords, drawn swords, from bows and arrows.
因為他們出逃，是由於面臨刀劍，面臨出鞘的刀劍，面臨已張的弓弩，面臨激烈的戰爭。
16 This is what the Lord told me: “Within one year, just as a contract worker precisely counts years, all the glory of Kedar will be gone.
上主曾這樣對我說：「照僱工的年限計，還有三年，刻達爾所有的榮耀都要完結；
17 There will only be a few left of the archers, the warriors of Kedar.” The Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken.
刻達爾子民的英勇弓手人數，剩下的很少。」因為上主以色列的天主，早就這樣說了。
