Isaiæ 21
1 Onus deserti maris. [Sicut turbines ab africo veniunt, de deserto venit, de terra horribili.
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.
2 Visio dura nuntiata est mihi: qui incredulus est infideliter agit; et qui depopulator est vastat. Ascende, Ælam; obside, Mede; omnem gemitum ejus cessare feci.
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.
3 Propterea repleti sunt lumbi mei dolore; angustia possedit me sicut angustia parturientis; corrui cum audirem, conturbatus sum cum viderem.
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.
4 Emarcuit cor meum; tenebræ stupefecerunt me: Babylon dilecta mea posita est mihi in miraculum.
Wandered hath my heart, trembling hath terrified me, The twilight of my desire He hath made a fear to me,
5 Pone mensam, contemplare in specula comedentes et bibentes: surgite, principes, arripite clypeum.
Arrange the table, watch in the watch-tower, Eat, drink, rise, ye heads, anoint the shield,
6 Hæc enim dixit mihi Dominus: Vade, et pone speculatorem, et quodcumque viderit annuntiet.
For thus said the Lord unto me: 'Go, station the watchman, That which he seeth let him declare.'
7 Et vidit currum duorum equitum, ascensorem asini, et ascensorem cameli; et contemplatus est diligenter multo intuitu.
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!
8 Et clamavit leo: Super speculam Domini ego sum, stans jugiter per diem; et super custodiam meam ego sum, stans totis noctibus.
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.
9 Ecce iste venit ascensor vir bigæ equitum; et respondit, et dixit: Cecidit, cecidit Babylon, et omnia sculptilia deorum ejus contrita sunt in terram.
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.
10 Tritura mea et filii areæ meæ, quæ audivi a Domino exercituum, Deo Israël, annuntiavi vobis.]
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!'
11 Onus Duma. [Ad me clamat ex Seir: Custos, quid de nocte? custos, quid de nocte?
The burden of Dumah. Unto me is [one] calling from Seir 'Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?'
12 Dixit custos: Venit mane et nox; si quæritis, quærite; convertimini, venite.]
The watchman hath said, 'Come hath morning, and also night, If ye inquire, inquire ye, turn back, come.'
13 Onus in Arabia. [In saltu ad vesperam dormietis, in semitis Dedanim.
The burden on Arabia. In a forest in Arabia ye lodge, O travellers of Dedanim.
14 Occurrentes sitienti ferte aquam, qui habitatis terram austri; cum panibus occurrite fugienti.
To meet the thirsty brought water have Inhabitants of the land of Tema, With his bread they came before a fugitive.
15 A facie enim gladiorum fugerunt, a facie gladii imminentis, a facie arcus extenti, a facie gravis prælii.
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.
16 Quoniam hæc dicit Dominus ad me: Adhuc in uno anno, quasi in anno mercenarii, et auferetur omnis gloria Cedar.
For thus said the Lord unto me: 'Within a year, as years of a hireling, Consumed hath been all the honour of Kedar.
17 Et reliquiæ numeri sagittariorum fortium de filiis Cedar imminuentur; Dominus enim Deus Israël locutus est.]
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!'
