Isaïe 21
1 Malheur accablant du désert de la mer. Comme des tourbillons viennent de l’Africus, il vient du désert, d’une terre affreuse.
[I received] this message [from Yahweh about Babylonia], [a land that is] near the [Persian] Gulf [but which will soon be] a desert. [An army] will soon come from the desert to invade that land; it is an army that causes its enemies to be terrified, an army that will come like a whirlwind from the south.
2 Une vision pénible m’a été annoncée; celui qui est incrédule agit infidèlement; et celui qui dépeuple, dévaste. Monte, Elam; Mède, assiège; j’ai fait cesser tous ses gémissements.
Yahweh showed me a terrifying vision. [In the vision I saw an army] that will betray/deceive people and steal their possessions [after they conquer them]. [Yahweh said], “You armies from Elam and Media, surround [Babylon] and prepare to attack it! I will cause the groaning [and suffering] that Babylon caused to cease!”
3 À cause de cela mes reins sont remplis de douleur; l’angoisse s’est emparée de moi comme l’angoisse d’une femme en travail; je suis tombé, lorsque j’ai entendu; j’ai été tout troublé, lorsque j’ai vu.
Because of that, my body is full of pain; my pain is like the pain that women who are giving birth experience. When I hear about and see [what God is planning to do], I am shocked.
4 Mon cœur s’est flétri; des ténèbres m’ont frappé de stupeur; Babylone que je chérissais m’est devenue un sujet d’étonnement.
I cannot think straight/correctly, and I tremble. I was eager for it to be nighttime, but now it is night, and I am horrified.
5 Dresse la table; contemple dans une guérite ceux qui mangent et qui boivent: levez-vous, princes, saisissez le bouclier.
[In the vision I saw that the leaders of Babylonia] were preparing a great feast. They had spread rugs [for people to sit on]; everyone was eating and drinking. [But] they should get up and prepare their shields, [because they are about to be attacked]!
6 Car voici ce que m’a dit le Seigneur: Va, et place une sentinelle; et tout ce qu’elle aura vu, qu’elle l’annonce.
Then Yahweh said to me, “Put a watchman [on the wall of Jerusalem], and tell him to shout/proclaim what he sees.
7 Et elle vit un chariot conduit par deux cavaliers, l’un qui montait un âne, et l’autre qui montait un chameau; et elle considéra soigneusement d’un œil très attentif.
Tell him to watch for chariots pulled by pairs of horses, and [men riding] camels and donkeys, [coming from Babylon]. Tell the watchman to watch and listen carefully!”
8 Et elle cria comme un lion: Je suis dans la guérite du Seigneur, m’y tenant continuellement pendant le jour, et je fais ma garde, m’y tenant les nuits entières.
[So I did that], and one day the watchman called out, “Day after day I have stood on this watchtower, and I have continued to watch during the day and during the night.
9 Voici que vient cet homme qui monte le chariot aux deux montures des cavaliers; et il répondit et dit: Elle est tombée, elle est tombée, Babylone, et toutes les images de ses dieux, taillées au ciseau, ont été brisées contre terre.
Now, I saw a man riding in a chariot pulled by two horses. [I called out to him], and he answered/shouted, ‘Babylon has been destroyed! All the idols in Babylon lie in pieces on the ground!’”
10 Mon battage, et vous, fils de mon aire, ce que j’ai ouï du Seigneur des armées. Dieu d’Israël, je vous l’ai annoncé.
My people [in Judah], [the army of Babylon has caused] you to suffer greatly [as though] [MET] you were grain that was threshed and (winnowed/thrown up into the air for the wind to blow away the chaff). [But now] I have told you what the Commander of the armies of angels the God whom we Israelis [worship], told me [about Babylon].
11 Malheur accablant de Duma. Il me crie de Séir: Garde, qu’annonces-tu de la nuit? garde, qu’annonces-tu de la nuit?
[I received] this message [from Yahweh] about Edom: Someone from Edom has been calling/shouting to me saying, “Watchman, how long will it be before the night is ended? [DOU]”
12 Le garde dit: Le matin est venu, et la nuit; si vous cherchez, cherchez; convertissez-vous, venez.
[I], the watchman, replied, “It will [soon] be morning, but after that, it will [soon] be night again. If you want to inquire [again about what will happen in our country], come back and inquire again.”
13 Malheur accablant dans l’Arabie. Dans le bois, le soir, vous dormirez, dans les sentiers de Dédanim.
[I received] this message about Arabia: Give this message to people traveling in caravans from Dedan [town in northwest Arabia], who camp in the scrub there. Tell them to bring water for those who are thirsty.
14 Venant au-devant de celui qui a soif, portez de l’eau, vous qui habitez la terre du midi, avec des pains venez au-devant de celui qui fuit.
And you people who live in Tema [city in northwest Arabia], must bring food for the (refugees/people who are fleeing from their enemies).
15 Car à la face des glaives ils ont fui, à la face du glaive suspendu, à la face de l’arc bandé, à la face d’un grave combat:
They are fleeing in order not to be killed by [their enemies’] swords and not to be shot in battles by arrows.
16 Parce que voici ce que me dit le Seigneur: Encore une année comptée comme l’année d’un mercenaire, et toute gloire de Cédar sera enlevée.
Yahweh said to me, “Exactly one year from now, all the greatness of the Kedar [area in Arabia] will end.
17 Et le reste du nombre des forts archers de Cédar seront diminués; car le Seigneur Dieu d’Israël a parlé.
Only a few of their soldiers who know well how to shoot arrows will remain alive. [That will surely happen] because [I], Yahweh, have said it.”
