Isaiah 21

1 The burden of the wilderness of the sea. As whirlwinds in the South sweeping on, it cometh from the wilderness, from a dreadful land.

The oracle of the wilderness of the sea. As whirlwinds in the Negev sweep through, it comes from the wilderness, from an awesome land.

2 A grievous vision is declared unto me: 'The treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam! besiege, O Media! All the sighing thereof have I made to cease.'

A grievous vision is declared to me. The treacherous man deals treacherously, and the destroyer destroys. Go up, Elam; attack. I have stopped all of Media's sighing.

3 Therefore are my loins filled with convulsion; pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman in travail; I am bent so that I cannot hear; I am affrighted so that I cannot see.

Therefore my thighs are filled with anguish. Pains have taken hold on me, like the pains of a woman in labor. I am in so much pain that I can't hear. I so am dismayed that I can't see.

4 My heart is bewildered, terror hath overwhelmed me; the twilight that I longed for hath been turned for me into trembling.

My heart flutters. Horror has frightened me. The twilight that I desired has been turned into trembling for me.

5 They prepare the table, they light the lamps, they eat, they drink — 'Rise up, ye princes, anoint the shield.'

They prepare the table. They set the watch. They eat. They drink. Rise up, you princes, oil the shield.

6 For thus hath the Lord said unto me: Go, set a watchman; let him declare what he seeth!

For YHWH said to me, "Go, set a watchman. Let him declare what he sees.

7 And when he seeth a troop, horsemen by pairs, a troop of asses, a troop of camels, he shall hearken diligently with much heed.

When he sees chariots, horsemen in pairs, riders on donkeys, riders on camels, let him listen diligently, very diligently."

8 And he cried as a lion: 'Upon the watch-tower, O Lord, I stand continually in the daytime, and I am set in my ward all the nights.'

Then the lookout shouted: "Lord, I stand continually on the watchtower in the daytime, and every night I stay at my post.

9 And, behold, there came a troop of men, horsemen by pairs. And he spoke and said: 'Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the graven images of her gods are broken unto the ground.'

Look, here comes a troop of men, horsemen in pairs." He answered, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the engraved images of her gods are broken to the ground.

10 O thou my threshing, and the winnowing of my floor, that which I have heard from the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you.

You are my threshing, and the grain of my floor." That which I have heard from YHWH of hosts, the God of Israel, I have declared to you.

11 The burden of Dumah. One calleth unto me out of Seir: 'Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?'

The burden of Dumah. One calls to me out of Seir, "Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?"

12 The watchman said: 'The morning cometh, and also the night — if ye will inquire, inquire ye; return, come.'

The watchman said, "The morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire. Come back again."

13 The burden upon Arabia. In the thickets in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye caravans of Dedanites.

The burden on Arabia. In the forest in Arabia you will lodge, you caravans of Dedanites.

14 Unto him that is thirsty bring ye water! The inhabitants of the land of Tema did meet the fugitive with his bread.

They brought water to him who was thirsty. The inhabitants of the land of Tema met the fugitives with their bread.

15 For they fled away from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.

For they fled away from the swords, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow, and from the heat of battle.

16 For thus hath the Lord said unto me: 'Within a year, according to the years of a hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail;

For YHWH said to me, "Within a year, as a worker bound by contract would count it, the glory of Kedar will fail,

17 and the residue of the number of the archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be diminished; for the LORD, the God of Israel, hath spoken it.'

and the residue of the number of the archers, the warriors of the people of Kedar, will be few; for YHWH, the God of Israel, has spoken it."