Isaiah 21

1 A declaration about the desert by the sea. Like stormwinds sweeping through the Negev it comes passing through from the wilderness, from a terrible land.

The burden of the wilderness of the sea. As whirlwinds in the South sweep through, it comes from the wilderness, from a terrible land.

2 A distressing vision has been given to me: the treacherous man deals treacherously, and the destroyer destroys. Go up and attack, Elam; besiege, Media; I will stop all her groaning.

A grievous vision is declared to me. The treacherous man deals treacherously, and the destroyer destroys. Go up, O Elam. Besiege, O Media, all the sighing of it I have made to cease.

3 Therefore my loins are filled with pain; pains like the pains of a woman in labor have taken hold of me; I am bowed down by what I heard; I am disturbed by what I saw.

Therefore my loins are filled with anguish. Pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman in travail. I am pained so that I cannot hear. I am dismayed so that I cannot see.

4 My heart pounds; I shake with fear. Twilight was my desire, but it brought me terror.

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

5 They prepare the table, they spread rugs and eat and drink; arise, princes, anoint your shields with oil.

They prepare the table, they set the watch, they eat, they drink. Rise up, ye rulers, anoint the shield.

6 For this is what the Lord said to me, “Go, post a watchman; he must report what he sees.

For thus has the Lord said to me, Go, set a watchman. Let him declare what he sees.

7 When he sees a chariot, a pair of horsemen, riders on donkeys, and riders on camels, then he must pay attention and be very alert.”

and when he sees a troop, horsemen in pairs, a troop of donkeys, a troop of camels, he shall hearken diligently with much heed.

8 The watchman cries out, “Lord, on the watchtower I stand all day, every day, and at my post I stand all night long.”

And he cried out as a lion, O Lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and am set in my ward whole nights,

9 Here comes a chariot with a man and a pair of horsemen. He calls out, “Babylon has fallen, fallen, and all the carved figures of its gods are broken to the ground.”

and, behold, here comes a troop of men, horsemen in pairs. And he answered and said, Fallen, fallen is Babylon. And all the graven images of her gods are broken to the ground.

10 My threshed and winnowed ones, children of my threshing floor! What I have heard from Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, I have declared to you.

O my threshing, and the grain of my floor! That which I have heard from Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, I have declared to you.

11 A declaration about Dumah. One calls to me from Seir, “Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night?”

The burden of Dumah. He calls to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?

12 The watchman said, “The morning comes and also the night. If you want to ask, then ask; and come back again.”

The watchman said, The morning comes, and also the night. If ye will inquire, inquire ye; turn ye back, come.

13 A declaration about Arabia. In the wilderness of Arabia you spend the night, you caravans of Dedanites.

The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia ye shall lodge, O ye caravans of Dedanites.

14 Bring water for the thirsty; inhabitants of the land of Tema, meet the fugitives with bread.

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

15 For they have fled from the sword, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow, and from the weight of war.

For they fled away from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.

16 For this is what the Lord said to me, “Within a year, as a laborer hired for a year would see it, all the glory of Kedar will end.

For thus the Lord has said to me, Within a year, according to the years of a hireling, all the glory of Kedar shall fail.

17 Only a few of the archers, the warriors of Kedar will remain,” for Yahweh, the God of Israel, has spoken.

And the residue of the number of the archers, the mighty men of the sons of Kedar, shall be few. For Jehovah, the God of Israel, has spoken it.