Isaiæ 21
1 Onus deserti maris. Sicut turbines ab Aphrico veniunt, de deserto venit, de terra horribili.
The burden of the wilderness of the sea. As whirlwinds in the South sweeping on, it cometh from the wilderness, from a dreadful land.
2 Visio dura nunciata est mihi: qui incredulus est, infideliter agit: et qui depopulator est, vastat. Ascende Aelam, obside Mede: omnem gemitum eius cessare feci.
A grievous vision is declared unto me: 'The treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. 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 convulsion; pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman in travail; I am bent so that I cannot hear; I am affrighted so that I cannot see.
4 Emarcuit cor meum, tenebrae stupefecerunt me: Babylon dilecta mea posita est mihi in miraculum.
My heart is bewildered, terror hath overwhelmed me; the twilight that I longed for hath been turned for me into trembling.
5 Pone mensam, contemplare in specula comedentes et bibentes: surgite principes, arripite clypeum.
They prepare the table, they light the lamps, they eat, they drink — 'Rise up, ye princes, anoint the shield.'
6 Haec enim dixit mihi Dominus: Vade, et pone speculatorem: et quodcumque viderit, annunciet.
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 by 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 iugiter per diem: et super custodiam meam ego sum, stans totis noctibus.
And he cried as a lion: 'Upon the watch-tower, O Lord, I stand continually in the daytime, and I am set in my ward all the nights.'
9 Ecce iste venit ascensor vir bigae equitum, et respondit, et dixit: Cecidit, cecidit Babylon, et omnia sculptilia deorum eius contrita sunt in terram.
And, behold, there came a troop of men, horsemen by pairs. And he spoke and said: 'Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the graven images of her gods are broken unto the ground.'
10 Tritura mea, et filia areae meae, quae audivi a Domino exercituum Deo Israel, annunciavi vobis.
O thou my threshing, and the winnowing of my floor, that which I have heard from the LORD 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 quaeritis, quaerite: 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 thickets 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 is thirsty bring ye water! The inhabitants of the land of Tema did meet the fugitive with his bread.
15 A facie enim gladiorum fugerunt, a facie gladii imminentis, a facie arcus extenti, a facie gravis praelii:
For they fled away from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.
16 quoniam haec 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, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail;
17 Et reliquiae numeri sagittariorum fortium de filiis Cedar imminuentur: Dominus enim Deus Israel locutus est.
and the residue of the number of the archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be diminished; for the LORD, the God of Israel, hath spoken it.'
