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 on the desert of the sea: As storm-winds in the South which with a rush from the desert, do come from a terrible 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.

[So] hath, a grievous vision, been told me: —the deceiver, is deceiving. And the spoiler, is spoiling, Go up, O Elam Besiege O Media, All the sighing she hath caused, have I made to cease.

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.

For this cause, are my loins filled with anguish, Pangs, have seized me, as the pangs of her that is giving birth, —I writhe so that I cannot hear, I tremble, so that I cannot see:

4 My heart wandereth astray, dread affrighteth me: the evening of my pleasure hath he turned unto me into terror.

My heart fluttereth, A horror, terrifieth me, —My twilight of pleasure, hath he turned for me into a time of trembling.

5 Prepare the table, put on the candlesticks, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield.

[Ye thought] to prepare the table—spread the mat—eat—drink! …Arise ye chieftains anoint the shield!

6 For thus hath said unto me the Lord, Go, set the watchman, what he seeth let him tell.

For, thus, hath My Lord said unto me, —Go, set the watchman, What he seeth, let him tell!

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 seeth A train of horsemen in double rank, A train of asses, A train of camels, Then shall he hearken attentively with diligent heed.

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 cried he. A lion! On the watch, O My Lord, had I been standing continually, by day, And at my post, had I been stationed whole nights; —

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.

When lo! here was a train of men coming. With horsemen in double rank, —And one began and said, Fallen! fallen! is Babylon, And all the images of her gods, are smashed 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.

O thou My threshing! And the grain of my corn-floor! That which I have heard from Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, Have I declared, unto 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 oracle on Dumah: Unto me, is one crying—out of Seir, Watchman! how far gone is the night? Watchman, how far gone is the night?

12 The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will desire, desire ye; return, come again.

Said the watchman, There cometh a morning. But also a night, —If ye will enquire, enquire, ye—Come, again!

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

The oracle on Arabia, —Among the shrubs in Arabia, must ye lodge, Ye 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.

To meet the thirsty, bring ye water, —Ye dwellers in the land of Tema; With bread for him, get in advance of him that is in flight!

15 Because from the swords are they fled, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the pressure of war.

For, before swords, have they fled: Before a sword that is drawn, Before a bow that is bent, And before the stress of war.

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, thus, hath My Lord said unto me, —Within a year according to the yearn of a hireling, shall fail all the glory of Kedar;

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 remnant of the record of bowmen, The heroes of the sons of Kedar, shall become few; For Yahweh God of Israel, hath spoken.