< 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,
מַשָּׂא מִדְבַּר־יָם כְּסוּפוֹת בַּנֶּגֶב לַֽחֲלֹף מִמִּדְבָּר בָּא מֵאֶרֶץ נוֹרָאָֽה׃
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.
חָזוּת קָשָׁה הֻגַּד־לִי הַבּוֹגֵד ׀ בּוֹגֵד וְהַשּׁוֹדֵד ׀ שׁוֹדֵד עֲלִי עֵילָם צוּרִי מָדַי כָּל־אַנְחָתָה הִשְׁבַּֽתִּי׃
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:
עַל־כֵּן מָלְאוּ מָתְנַי חַלְחָלָה צִירִים אֲחָזוּנִי כְּצִירֵי יֽוֹלֵדָה נַעֲוֵיתִי מִשְּׁמֹעַ נִבְהַלְתִּי מֵרְאֽוֹת׃
4 My heart fluttereth, A horror, terrifieth me, —My twilight of pleasure, hath he turned for me into a time of trembling.
תָּעָה לְבָבִי פַּלָּצוּת בִּֽעֲתָתְנִי אֵת נֶשֶׁף חִשְׁקִי שָׂם לִי לַחֲרָדָֽה׃
5 [Ye thought] to prepare the table—spread the mat—eat—drink! …Arise ye chieftains anoint the shield!
עָרֹךְ הַשֻּׁלְחָן צָפֹה הַצָּפִית אָכוֹל שָׁתֹה קוּמוּ הַשָּׂרִים מִשְׁחוּ מָגֵֽן׃
6 For, thus, hath My Lord said unto me, —Go, set the watchman, What he seeth, let him tell!
כִּי כֹה אָמַר אֵלַי אֲדֹנָי לֵךְ הַעֲמֵד הַֽמְצַפֶּה אֲשֶׁר יִרְאֶה יַגִּֽיד׃
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.
וְרָאָה רֶכֶב צֶמֶד פָּֽרָשִׁים רֶכֶב חֲמוֹר רֶכֶב גָּמָל וְהִקְשִׁיב קֶשֶׁב רַב־קָֽשֶׁב׃
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; —
וַיִּקְרָא אַרְיֵה עַל־מִצְפֶּה ׀ אֲדֹנָי אָנֹכִי עֹמֵד תָּמִיד יוֹמָם וְעַל־מִשְׁמַרְתִּי אָנֹכִי נִצָּב כָּל־הַלֵּילֽוֹת׃
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!
וְהִנֵּה־זֶה בָא רֶכֶב אִישׁ צֶמֶד פָּֽרָשִׁים וַיַּעַן וַיֹּאמֶר נָפְלָה נָֽפְלָה בָּבֶל וְכָל־פְּסִילֵי אֱלֹהֶיהָ שִׁבַּר לָאָֽרֶץ׃
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.
מְדֻשָׁתִי וּבֶן־גָּרְנִי אֲשֶׁר שָׁמַעְתִּי מֵאֵת יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הִגַּדְתִּי לָכֶֽם׃
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?
מַשָּׂא דּוּמָה אֵלַי קֹרֵא מִשֵּׂעִיר שֹׁמֵר מַה־מִלַּיְלָה שֹׁמֵר מַה־מִלֵּֽיל׃
12 Said the watchman, There cometh a morning. But also a night, —If ye will enquire, enquire, ye—Come, again!
אָמַר שֹׁמֵר אָתָה בֹקֶר וְגַם־לָיְלָה אִם־תִּבְעָיוּן בְּעָיוּ שֻׁבוּ אֵתָֽיוּ׃
13 The oracle on Arabia, —Among the shrubs in Arabia, must ye lodge, Ye caravans of Dedanites.
מַשָּׂא בַּעְרָב בַּיַּעַר בַּעְרַב תָּלִינוּ אֹֽרְחוֹת דְּדָנִֽים׃
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!
לִקְרַאת צָמֵא הֵתָיוּ מָיִם יֹשְׁבֵי אֶרֶץ תֵּימָא בְּלַחְמוֹ קִדְּמוּ נֹדֵֽד׃
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.
כִּֽי־מִפְּנֵי חֲרָבוֹת נָדָדוּ מִפְּנֵי ׀ חֶרֶב נְטוּשָׁה וּמִפְּנֵי קֶשֶׁת דְּרוּכָה וּמִפְּנֵי כֹּבֶד מִלְחָמָֽה׃
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;
כִּי־כֹה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי אֵלָי בְּעוֹד שָׁנָה כִּשְׁנֵי שָׂכִיר וְכָלָה כָּל־כְּבוֹד קֵדָֽר׃
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.
וּשְׁאָר מִסְפַּר־קֶשֶׁת גִּבּוֹרֵי בְנֵֽי־קֵדָר יִמְעָטוּ כִּי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל דִּבֵּֽר׃

< Isaiah 21 >