Isaia 21
1 Faminaniana ny amin’ ny loza hanjo ny Efitra Ranobe. Tahaka ny firimorimon’ ny tadio any atsimo no fihaviny avy any an-efitra, dia avy any amin’ ny tany mahatahotra.
[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 Misy fahitana mampahory naseho tamiko: Ny mpamitaka mamitaka, ary ny mpandringana mandringana. Iakaro, ry Elama ô! ekeo, ry Media ô! Hatsahatro ny fisentoana rehetra.
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 Ary raha nahita izany aho, dia feno fanaintainana ny valahako; Fijalijaliana no nahazo ahy tahaka ny fijalijalian’ ny vehivavy raha miteraka; Niolanolana fatratra aho ka tsy nandre izany; Toran-kovitra aho ka tsy nahita izany.
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 Niemponempona ny foko, nampahatahotra ahy ny horohoro; Ny hariva fahafinaretako nampodiny ho fangovitako.
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 Velarina ny latabatra, miambina ny mpiambina, mihinana sy misotro ny olona mitsangàna, ianareo lehibe, ka hosory ny ampinga!
[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 Fa izao no nolazain’ i Jehovah tamiko: Mandehana, manendre tily; Ka izay hitany no aoka holazainy.
Then Yahweh said to me, “Put a watchman [on the wall of Jerusalem], and tell him to shout/proclaim what he sees.
7 Dia nahita izy ka indreo mpitaingina manao andiany mandeha tsiroaroa sy boriky andiany ary rameva andiany. Ary nihaino izy, eny, nihaino dia nihaino;
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 Dia niantso nanao feon-diona izy ka nanao hoe: Tompo ô! izaho mijanona mandrakariva eto ambonin’ ny fitazanako nony antoandro, Ary mitoetra eto amin’ ny fiambenako aho mandritra ny alina;
[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 Koa, indreo, avy ny olona andiany, mpitaingina mandeha tsiroaroa; Ary nanandratra ny feony izy ka nanao hoe: Rava, rava Babylona! Ary ny sarin’ ny andriamaniny rehetra dia voatorotoro miraraka amin’ ny tany.
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 Ry ahy voavely toy ny vary teo am-pamoloako ô! Izay efa reko tamin’ i Jehovah, Tompon’ ny maro, Andriamanitry ny Isiraely, no nambarako taminareo.
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 Faminaniana ny amin’ ny loza hanjo an’ i Edoma. Misy miantso ahy any Seïra manao hoe: Ry mpiambina ô, toy inona alina moa izao? Ry mpiambina ô, toy inona alina moa izao?
[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 Dia hoy ny mpiambina: Avy ny maraina, avy koa ny alina; Raha mbola ta-hanontany ianareo, dia manontania ihany; ka avia, miverena.
[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 Faminaniana ny amin’ ny loza hanjo an’ i Arabia. Any an’ ala any Arabia no andrianareo, ry andian’ ny Dedanita.
[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 Itondrana rano ny mangetaheta; Ny mponina amin’ ny tany Tema mitsena hanina ny mandositra;
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 Fa mandositra ny sabatra ireo, dia ny sabatra voatsoaka sy ny tsipìka voahenjana ary ny havesatry ny ady.
They are fleeing in order not to be killed by [their enemies’] swords and not to be shot in battles by arrows.
16 Fa izao no nolazain’ i Jehovah tamiko: Ato anatin’ ny herintaona, tahaka ny taonan’ ny mpikarama, dia ho levona avokoa ny voninahitr’ i Kedara;
Yahweh said to me, “Exactly one year from now, all the greatness of the Kedar [area in Arabia] will end.
17 Ary ny tsipìka sisa izay; an’ ny lehilahy mahery, taranak’ i Kedara, dia ho vitsy foana, fa Jehovah Andriamanitry ny Isiraely, ao efa niteny.
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.”
