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 burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south pass through; [so] it cometh from the desert, from a terrible 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 dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler plundereth. Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media; all her sighing have I made to cease.

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 are my loins filled with pain: pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth: I was bowed down at the hearing [of it]; I was dismayed at the seeing [of it].

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

My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear to me.

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

Prepare the table, watch in the watch-tower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, [and] anoint the shield.

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

For thus hath the LORD said to me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.

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.

And he saw a chariot [with] a couple of horsemen, a chariot of asses, [and] a chariot of camels; and he hearkened diligently with much heed:

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.'

And he cried, a lion: My lord, I stand continually upon the watch-tower in the day time, and I am set in my ward whole nights.

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.'

And behold, here cometh a chariot of men, [with] a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath 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.

O my threshing, and the corn of my floor; that which I have heard from the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have I 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. He calleth 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 cometh, and also the night: if ye will inquire, inquire ye: return, come.

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

The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye traveling companies of Dedanim.

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

The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty, they met with their bread him that fled.

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 from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.

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 thus hath the LORD said to me, Within a year, according to the years of a hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall 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 archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be diminished: for the LORD God of Israel hath spoken [it].