Yesaya 21
1 Ucapan ilahi terhadap "padang gurun di tepi laut". Seperti puting beliung mendesing lewat di Tanah Negeb, demikianlah datangnya dari padang gurun, dari negeri yang dahsyat.
[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 Suatu penglihatan yang kejam telah diberitakan kepadaku: "Penggarong menggarong, perusak merusak! Majulah, hai Elam, kepunglah, hai Madai! Aku hentikan semua keluh yang ditimbulkannya."
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 Sebab itu pinggangku amat sakit, sakit mulas menimpa aku seperti sakit mulas perempuan yang melahirkan; aku terbungkuk-bungkuk, tidak mendengar lagi, aku terkejut, tidak melihat lagi.
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 Hatiku gelisah, kekejutan meliputi aku, malam hari yang selalu kurindukan itu sekarang menggentarkan aku.
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 Orang sibuk menyajikan hidangan, mengatur tempat-tempat duduk, makan, minum...Tiba-tiba kedengaran: "Hai para panglima! Siaplah tempur, minyakilah perisai!"
[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 Sebab beginilah firman Tuhan kepadaku: "Pergilah, tempatkanlah seorang peninjau, apa yang dilihatnya haruslah diberitahukannya.
Then Yahweh said to me, “Put a watchman [on the wall of Jerusalem], and tell him to shout/proclaim what he sees.
7 Apabila dilihatnya pasukan, pasang-pasangan orang berkuda, pasukan keledai, pasukan unta, maka haruslah diperhatikannya sungguh-sungguh, dengan penuh perhatian."
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 Kemudian berserulah orang yang melihat itu: "Di tempat peninjauan, ya tuanku, aku berdiri senantiasa sehari suntuk, dan di tempat pengawalanku aku terpancang setiap malam."
[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 Lihat, itu sudah datang sepasukan orang, pasang-pasangan orang berkuda! Lalu berserulah ia, katanya: "Sudah jatuh, sudah jatuh Babel, dan segala patung berhalanya telah diremukkan dan bertaburan di tanah."
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 Hai bangsaku yang telah dipijak-pijak dan diinjak-injak! Apa yang kudengar dari TUHAN semesta alam, Allah Israel, telah kuberitahukan kepadamu.
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 Ucapan ilahi terhadap Duma. Ada seorang berseru kepadaku dari Seir: "Hai pengawal, masih lama malam ini? Hai pengawal, masih lama malam ini?"
[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 Pengawal itu berkata: "Pagi akan datang, tetapi malam juga. Jika kamu mau bertanya, datanglah bertanya sekali lagi!"
[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 Ucapan ilahi terhadap Arabia. Di belukar di Arabia kamu akan bermalam, hai kafilah-kafilah orang Dedan!
[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 Hai penduduk tanah Tema, keluarlah, bawalah air kepada orang yang haus, pergilah, sambutlah orang pelarian dengan roti!
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 Sebab mereka melarikan diri terhadap pedang, ya terhadap pedang yang terhunus, terhadap busur yang dilentur, dan terhadap kehebatan peperangan.
They are fleeing in order not to be killed by [their enemies’] swords and not to be shot in battles by arrows.
16 Sebab beginilah firman Tuhan kepadaku: "Dalam setahun lagi, menurut masa kerja prajurit upahan, maka segala kemuliaan Kedar akan habis.
Yahweh said to me, “Exactly one year from now, all the greatness of the Kedar [area in Arabia] will end.
17 Dan dari pemanah-pemanah yang gagah perkasa dari bani Kedar, akan tinggal sejumlah kecil saja, sebab TUHAN, Allah Israel, telah mengatakannya."
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.”
