Isaiah 21

1 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,

The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds come from the south, it cometh from the desert from a terrible land.

2 [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.

A grievous vision is told me: he that is unfaithful dealeth unfaithfully: and he that is a spoiler, spoileth. Go up, O Elam, besiege, O Mede: I have made all the mourning thereof to cease.

3 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:

Therefore are my loins filled with pain, anguish hath taken hold of me, as the anguish of a woman in labour: I fell down at the hearing of it, I was troubled at the seeing of it.

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

My heart failed, darkness amazed me: Babylon my beloved is become a wonder to me.

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

Prepare the table, behold in the watchtower them that eat and drink: arise, ye princes, take up the shield.

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

For thus hath the Lord said to me: Go, and set a watchman: and whatsoever he shall see, let him tell.

7 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.

And he saw a chariot with two horsemen, a rider upon an ass, and a rider upon a camel: and he beheld them diligently with much heed.

8 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; —

And a lion cried out: I am upon the watchtower of the Lord, standing continually by day: and I am upon my ward, standing whole nights.

9 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!

Behold this man cometh, the rider upon the chariot with two horsemen, and he answered, and said: Babylon is fallen, she is fallen, and all the graven gods thereof are broken unto the ground.

10 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.

O my thrashing and the children of my door, that which I have heard of the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, I have declared unto you.

11 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?

The burden of Duma calleth to me out of Seir: Watchman, what of the eight? watchman, what of the night?

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

The watchman said: The morning cometh, also the night: if you seek, seek: return, come.

13 The oracle on Arabia, —Among the shrubs in Arabia, must ye lodge, Ye caravans of Dedanites.

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

14 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!

Meeting the thirsty bring him water, you that inhabit the land of the south, meet with bread him that fleeth.

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

For they are fled from before the swords, from the sword that hung over them, from the bent bow, from the face of a grievous battle.

16 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;

For thus saith the Lord to me: Within a year, according to the years of a hireling, all the glory of Cedar shall be taken away.

17 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.

And the residue of the number of strong archers of the children of Cedar shall be diminished: for the Lord the God of Israel hath spoken it.