Isaiah 21

1 The doom of the desert by the sea. As tempests in the south blow with fury; so doth it come from the desert, from a terrible 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 hard vision hath been told unto me; the traitor dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. “Go up, O 'Elam; besiege, O Media;” all sighing have I caused 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 pain; pangs have seized me, like the pangs of a woman that travaileth: I am too much cramped to hear; I am too much dismayed to 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 wandereth astray, dread affrighteth me: the evening of my pleasure hath he turned unto me into terror.

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

5 Prepare the table, put on the candlesticks, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and 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 said unto me the Lord, Go, set the watchman, what he seeth let him tell.

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

7 And he will see chariots, horsemen in couples, riders on asses, riders on camels; and he shall listen 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 calleth [like] a lion, Upon the watchtower, O Lord, do I stand continually in the daytime, and on my ward am I set 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, here cometh a chariot with men, horsemen in couples, and he commenceth and saith, Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the graven images of her gods hath he shivered 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 my down-trodden [people, ] and the son of my threshingfloor: that which I have heard from the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have I told unto you.

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

11 The doom of Dumah. Unto me one calleth out of Se'ir, 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 desire, desire ye; return, come again.

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

13 The doom upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye caravans of Dedanim.

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

14 Toward him that is thirsty they bring water; the inhabitants of the land of Thema meet with suitable bread the fugitive.

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

15 Because from the swords are they fled, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the pressure 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 said the Lord unto me, Within yet one year, like the years of a hired laborer, shall all the glory of Kedar be at an end:

For the LORD 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 bows of the mighty men of the children of Kedar shall be small; 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 the LORD, the God of Israel, has spoken it."