Isaiæ 21
1 Onus deserti maris. Sicut turbines ab africo veniunt, de deserto venit, de terra horribili.
The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south pass through; [so] it cometh from the desert, 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 to me; the treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler plundereth. Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media; all her sighing 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 pain: pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth: I was bowed down at the hearing [of it]; I was dismayed at the seeing [of it].
4 Emarcuit cor meum; tenebræ stupefecerunt me: Babylon dilecta mea posita est mihi in miraculum.
My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear to me.
5 Pone mensam, contemplare in specula comedentes et bibentes: surgite, principes, arripite clypeum.
Prepare the table, watch in the watch-tower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, [and] anoint the shield.
6 Hæc enim dixit mihi Dominus: Vade, et pone speculatorem, et quodcumque viderit annuntiet.
For thus hath the LORD said to 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 he saw a chariot [with] a couple of horsemen, a chariot of asses, [and] a chariot of camels; and he hearkened 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, a lion: My lord, I stand continually upon the watch-tower in the day time, and I 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 chariot of men, [with] a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken to the ground.
10 Tritura mea et filii areæ meæ, quæ audivi a Domino exercituum, Deo Israël, annuntiavi vobis.
O my threshing, and the corn of my floor; that which I have heard from the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared to you.
11 Onus Duma. Ad me clamat ex Seir: Custos, quid de nocte? custos, quid de nocte?
The burden of Dumah. He calleth to 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: return, 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 traveling companies of Dedanim.
14 Occurrentes sitienti ferte aquam, qui habitatis terram austri; cum panibus occurrite fugienti.
The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty, they met with their bread him that fled.
15 A facie enim gladiorum fugerunt, a facie gladii imminentis, a facie arcus extenti, a facie gravis prælii.
For they fled 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 to me, Within a year, according to the years of a hireling, and 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 archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be diminished: for the LORD God of Israel hath spoken [it].
