Ἠσαΐας 21
1 τὸ ὅραμα τῆς ἐρήμου ὡς καταιγὶς δῑ ἐρήμου διέλθοι ἐξ ἐρήμου ἐρχομένη ἐκ γῆς φοβερὸν
[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 τὸ ὅραμα καὶ σκληρὸν ἀνηγγέλη μοι ὁ ἀθετῶν ἀθετεῖ ὁ ἀνομῶν ἀνομεῖ ἐπ’ ἐμοὶ οἱ Αιλαμῖται καὶ οἱ πρέσβεις τῶν Περσῶν ἐπ’ ἐμὲ ἔρχονται νῦν στενάξω καὶ παρακαλέσω ἐμαυτόν
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 διὰ τοῦτο ἐνεπλήσθη ἡ ὀσφύς μου ἐκλύσεως καὶ ὠδῖνες ἔλαβόν με ὡς τὴν τίκτουσαν ἠδίκησα τὸ μὴ ἀκοῦσαι ἐσπούδασα τὸ μὴ βλέπειν
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 ἡ καρδία μου πλανᾶται καὶ ἡ ἀνομία με βαπτίζει ἡ ψυχή μου ἐφέστηκεν εἰς φόβον
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 ἑτοίμασον τὴν τράπεζαν πίετε φάγετε ἀναστάντες οἱ ἄρχοντες ἑτοιμάσατε θυρεούς
[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 ὅτι οὕτως εἶπεν κύριος πρός με βαδίσας σεαυτῷ στῆσον σκοπὸν καὶ ὃ ἂν ἴδῃς ἀνάγγειλον
Then Yahweh said to me, “Put a watchman [on the wall of Jerusalem], and tell him to shout/proclaim what he sees.
7 καὶ εἶδον ἀναβάτας ἱππεῖς δύο ἀναβάτην ὄνου καὶ ἀναβάτην καμήλου ἀκρόασαι ἀκρόασιν πολλὴν
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 καὶ κάλεσον Ουριαν εἰς τὴν σκοπιὰν κυρίου καὶ εἶπεν ἔστην διὰ παντὸς ἡμέρας καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς παρεμβολῆς ἔστην ὅλην τὴν νύκτα
[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 καὶ ἰδοὺ αὐτὸς ἔρχεται ἀναβάτης συνωρίδος καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν πέπτωκεν Βαβυλών καὶ πάντα τὰ ἀγάλματα αὐτῆς καὶ τὰ χειροποίητα αὐτῆς συνετρίβησαν εἰς τὴν γῆν
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 ἀκούσατε οἱ καταλελειμμένοι καὶ οἱ ὀδυνώμενοι ἀκούσατε ἃ ἤκουσα παρὰ κυρίου σαβαωθ ὁ θεὸς τοῦ Ισραηλ ἀνήγγειλεν ἡμῖν
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 τὸ ὅραμα τῆς Ιδουμαίας πρὸς ἐμὲ καλεῖ παρὰ τοῦ Σηιρ φυλάσσετε ἐπάλξεις
[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 φυλάσσω τὸ πρωὶ καὶ τὴν νύκτα ἐὰν ζητῇς ζήτει καὶ παρ’ ἐμοὶ οἴκει
[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 ἐν τῷ δρυμῷ ἑσπέρας κοιμηθήσῃ ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ Δαιδαν
[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 εἰς συνάντησιν διψῶντι ὕδωρ φέρετε οἱ ἐνοικοῦντες ἐν χώρᾳ Θαιμαν ἄρτοις συναντᾶτε τοῖς φεύγουσιν
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 διὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν φευγόντων καὶ διὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν πλανωμένων καὶ διὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῆς μαχαίρας καὶ διὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν τοξευμάτων τῶν διατεταμένων καὶ διὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν πεπτωκότων ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ
They are fleeing in order not to be killed by [their enemies’] swords and not to be shot in battles by arrows.
16 ὅτι οὕτως εἶπέν μοι κύριος ἔτι ἐνιαυτὸς ὡς ἐνιαυτὸς μισθωτοῦ ἐκλείψει ἡ δόξα τῶν υἱῶν Κηδαρ
Yahweh said to me, “Exactly one year from now, all the greatness of the Kedar [area in Arabia] will end.
17 καὶ τὸ κατάλοιπον τῶν τοξευμάτων τῶν ἰσχυρῶν υἱῶν Κηδαρ ἔσται ὀλίγον διότι κύριος ἐλάλησεν ὁ θεὸς Ισραηλ
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.”
