Isaiah 21

1 The burden of the wilderness of the sea. 'Like hurricanes in the south for passing through, From the wilderness it hath come, From a fearful land.

The prophecy concerning the desert of the sea. As storms which rush along through the south, So it cometh from the desert, From the terrible land.

2 A hard vision hath been declared to me, The treacherous dealer is dealing treacherously, And the destroyer is destroying. Go up, O Elam, besiege, O Media, All its sighing I have caused to cease.

A grievous vision was revealed to me; The plunderer plundereth, and the destroyer destroyeth. “Go up, O Elam! Besiege, O Media! All sighing do I make to cease.”

3 Therefore filled have been my loins [with] great pain, Pangs have seized me as pangs of a travailing woman, I have been bent down by hearing, I have been troubled by seeing.

Therefore are my loins full of pain; Pangs have seized me, as the pangs of a woman in travail; For convulsions I cannot hear; For anguish I cannot see.

4 Wandered hath my heart, trembling hath terrified me, The twilight of my desire He hath made a fear to me,

My heart panteth, Terror hath seized upon me; The evening of my desire is changed into horror.

5 Arrange the table, watch in the watch-tower, Eat, drink, rise, ye heads, anoint the shield,

The table is prepared; the watch is set; They eat; they drink; “Arise, ye princes! Anoint the shield!”

6 For thus said the Lord unto me: 'Go, station the watchman, That which he seeth let him declare.'

For thus said the Lord unto me: “Go, set a watchman, Who shall declare what he seeth.”

7 And he hath seen a chariot — a couple of horsemen, The rider of an ass, the rider of a camel, And he hath given attention — He hath increased attention!

And he saw a troop, horsemen in pairs, Riders on asses, and riders on camels, And he watched with the utmost heed.

8 And he crieth — a lion, 'On a watch-tower my lord, I am standing continually by day, And on my ward I am stationed whole nights.

Then he cried like a lion: “My Lord, I stand continually upon the watch-tower in the daytime, And keep my post all the night;

9 And lo, this, the chariot of a man is coming, A couple of horsemen.' And he answereth and saith: 'Fallen, fallen hath Babylon, And all the graven images of her gods He hath broken to the earth.

And behold, there cometh a troop, Horsemen in pairs.” Again also he lifted up his voice, and said: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon, And all the graven images of her gods are cast broken to the ground.”

10 O my threshing, and the son of my floor, That which I heard from Jehovah of Hosts, God of Israel, I have declared to you!'

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

11 The burden of Dumah. Unto me is [one] calling from Seir 'Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?'

The prophecy concerning Dumah. A voice came to me from Seir: “Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?”

12 The watchman hath said, 'Come hath morning, and also night, If ye inquire, inquire ye, turn back, come.'

The watchman saith: “Morning cometh, and also night. If ye will inquire, inquire! Return, come!”

13 The burden on Arabia. In a forest in Arabia ye lodge, O travellers of Dedanim.

The prophecy against the Arabians. In the thickets of Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye caravans of Dedan!

14 To meet the thirsty brought water have Inhabitants of the land of Tema, With his bread they came before a fugitive.

The inhabitants of the land of Tema Bring water to the thirsty; They come to meet the fugitive with bread.

15 For from the face of destructions they fled, From the face of a stretched-out sword, And from the face of a trodden bow, And from the face of the grievousness of battle.

For they flee from swords, From the drawn sword, And from the bent bow, And from the fury of war.

16 For thus said the Lord unto me: 'Within a year, as years of a hireling, Consumed hath been all the honour of Kedar.

For thus saith the Lord to me: Within one year, according to the years of a hireling, Shall all the glory of Kedar be consumed.

17 And the remnant of the number of bow-men, The mighty of the sons of Kedar are few, For Jehovah, God of Israel, hath spoken!'

The remainder of the mighty bowmen of the sons of Kedar shall be diminished; For Jehovah, the God of Israel, hath said it.