< Isaiah 21 >
1 The oracle of the wilderness of the sea. As whirlwinds in the Negev sweep through, it comes from the wilderness, from an awesome land.
[the] oracle of [the] wilderness of [the] sea Like storm-winds in the south to sweep on from [the] wilderness [someone is] coming from a land to be feared.
2 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.
A vision severe it has been told to me the traitor - [is] acting treacherously and the destroyer - [is] destroying go up O Elam lay siege O Media all groaning its I will cause to cease.
3 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.
There-fore they are full loins my anguish pangs they have seized me like [the] pangs of [a woman who] gives birth I am bent over from hearing I am terrified from seeing.
4 My heart flutters. Horror has frightened me. The twilight that I desired has been turned into trembling for me.
It has wandered heart my shuddering it has overwhelmed me [the] twilight of desire my it has made for me trembling.
5 They prepare the table. They set the watch. They eat. They drink. Rise up, you princes, oil the shield.
They are arranging the table they are spreading out the rug eating drinking arise O officials smear a shield.
6 For YHWH said to me, "Go, set a watchman. Let him declare what he sees.
For thus he has said to me [the] Lord go station the watchman [that] which he will see let him tell.
7 When he sees chariots, horsemen in pairs, riders on donkeys, riders on camels, let him listen diligently, very diligently."
And he will see a rider a pair of horses a rider of a donkey a rider of a camel and he will pay attention attentiveness greatness of attentiveness.
8 Then the lookout shouted: "Lord, I stand continually on the watchtower in the daytime, and every night I stay at my post.
And he called out a lion on a watchtower - O Lord I [am] standing continually by day and at post my I [am] stationed all the nights.
9 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.
And there! this [is] coming a rider a man a pair of horses and he answered and he said it has fallen it has fallen Babylon and all [the] images of gods its someone has broken to the ground.
10 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.
O threshed one my and [the] son of threshing floor my [that] which I have heard from with Yahweh of hosts [the] God of Israel I have told to you.
11 The burden of Dumah. One calls to me out of Seir, "Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?"
[the] oracle of Dumah to me [someone is] calling from Seir O watchman what? [is] from [the] night O watchman what? [is] from [the] night.
12 The watchman said, "The morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire. Come back again."
He says [the] watchman it will come morning and also night if you will enquire! enquire return come.
13 The burden on Arabia. In the forest in Arabia you will lodge, you caravans of Dedanites.
[the] oracle On Arabia in the thicket[s] in Arabia you will lodge O caravans of Dedanites.
14 They brought water to him who was thirsty. The inhabitants of the land of Tema met the fugitives with their bread.
To meet [the] thirsty bring water O inhabitants of [the] land of Tema with bread his they met fugitive[s].
15 For they fled away from the swords, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow, and from the heat of battle.
For from before swords they have fled from before - a sword drawn and from before a bow bent and from before [the] weight of battle.
16 For YHWH said to me, "Within a year, as a worker bound by contract would count it, the glory of Kedar will fail,
For thus he has said [the] Lord to me in yet a year like [the] years of a hired laborer and it will be finished all [the] splendor of Kedar.
17 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."
And [the] remnant of a number of bowmen [the] warriors of [the] people of Kedar they will be few for Yahweh [the] God of Israel he has spoken.