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. As whirlwinds in the South sweep through, it cometh from the wilderness, from a terrible 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 grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous man dealeth treacherously, and the destroyer destroyeth. Go up, O Elam; besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease.
3 Propterea repleti sunt lumbi mei dolore; angustia possedit me sicut angustia parturientis; corrui cum audirem, conturbatus sum cum viderem.
Therefore are my loins filled with anguish; pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman in travail: I am pained so that I cannot hear; I am dismayed so that I cannot see.
4 Emarcuit cor meum; tenebræ stupefecerunt me: Babylon dilecta mea posita est mihi in miraculum.
My heart fluttereth, horror hath affrighted me; the twilight that I desired hath been turned into trembling unto me.
5 Pone mensam, contemplare in specula comedentes et bibentes: surgite, principes, arripite clypeum.
They prepare the table, they set the watch, they eat, they drink: rise up, ye princes, anoint the shield.
6 Hæc enim dixit mihi Dominus: Vade, et pone speculatorem, et quodcumque viderit annuntiet.
For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman; let him declare what he seeth:
7 Et vidit currum duorum equitum, ascensorem asini, et ascensorem cameli; et contemplatus est diligenter multo intuitu.
and when he seeth a troop, horsemen in pairs, a troop of asses, a troop of camels, he shall hearken diligently with much heed.
8 Et clamavit leo: Super speculam Domini ego sum, stans jugiter per diem; et super custodiam meam ego sum, stans totis noctibus.
And he cried as a lion: O Lord, I stand continually upon the watch-tower in the day-time, and am set in my ward 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, behold, here cometh a troop of men, horsemen in pairs. And he answered and said, Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the graven images of her gods are broken unto the ground.
10 Tritura mea et filii areæ meæ, quæ audivi a Domino exercituum, Deo Israël, annuntiavi vobis.
O thou my threshing, and the grain of my floor! that which I have heard from Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you.
11 Onus Duma. Ad me clamat ex Seir: Custos, quid de nocte? custos, quid de nocte?
The burden of Dumah. One calleth unto me out of 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 said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will inquire, inquire ye: turn ye, come.
13 Onus in Arabia. In saltu ad vesperam dormietis, in semitis Dedanim.
The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye caravans of Dedanites.
14 Occurrentes sitienti ferte aquam, qui habitatis terram austri; cum panibus occurrite fugienti.
Unto him that was thirsty they brought water; the inhabitants of the land of Tema did meet the fugitives with their bread.
15 A facie enim gladiorum fugerunt, a facie gladii imminentis, a facie arcus extenti, a facie gravis prælii.
For they fled away from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.
16 Quoniam hæc dicit Dominus ad me: Adhuc in uno anno, quasi in anno mercenarii, et auferetur omnis gloria Cedar.
For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Within a year, according to the years of a hireling, all the glory of Kedar shall fail;
17 Et reliquiæ numeri sagittariorum fortium de filiis Cedar imminuentur; Dominus enim Deus Israël locutus est.
and the residue of the number of the archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be few; for Jehovah, the God of Israel, hath spoken it.
