Isaiah 21

1 The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south pass through; so it comes from the desert, from a terrible land.

The burden of the desert of the sea. Just as the whirlwinds approach from Africa, it approaches from the desert, from a terrible land.

2 A grievous vision is declared to me; the treacherous dealer deals treacherously, and the spoiler spoils. Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease.

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.

3 Therefore are my loins filled with pain: pangs have taken hold on me, as the pangs of a woman that travails: I was bowed down at the hearing of it; I was dismayed at the seeing of it.

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.

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

My heart withered. The darkness stupefied me. Babylon, my beloved, has become a wonder to me.

5 Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, you princes, and anoint the shield.

Prepare the table. Contemplate, from a place of observation, those who eat and drink. Rise up, you leaders! Take up the shield!

6 For thus has the LORD said to me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he sees.

For the Lord has said this to me: “Go and station a watchman. And let him announce whatever he will see.”

7 And he saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen, a chariot of asses, and a chariot of camels; and he listened diligently with much heed:

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.

8 And he cried, A lion: My lord, I stand continually on the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights:

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.

9 And, behold, here comes 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 has broken to the ground.

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!

10 O my threshing, and the corn of my floor: that which I have heard of the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared to you.

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.”

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

The burden of Dumah, cried out to me from Seir: “Watchman, how goes the night? Watchman, how goes the night?”

12 The watchman said, The morning comes, and also the night: if you will inquire, inquire you: return, come.

The watchman said: “Morning approaches with the night. If you are seeking: seek, and convert, and approach.”

13 The burden on Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall you lodge, O you traveling companies of Dedanim.

The burden in Arabia. In the forest you shall sleep, in the evening on the paths of Dedanim.

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

You who inhabit the land of the south: upon meeting the thirsty, bring water; meet the fugitive with bread.

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

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.

16 For thus has the LORD said to me, Within a year, according to the years of an hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail:

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.

17 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 has spoken it.

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.”