Ihaia 21

1 Ko te poropititanga mo te koraha o te moana. Ka rite ki nga awhiowhio i te tonga e pupuhi ana, tona haerenga mai i te koraha i te whenua e wehingia ana.

This is the burden against the Desert by the Sea: Like whirlwinds sweeping through the Negev, an invader comes from the desert, from a land of terror.

2 He kino rawa te kitenga kua whakaaturia nei ki ahau; kei te tinihanga te tangata tinihanga, kei te pahua te kaipahua. Whakaekea, e Erama whakapaea, e Meria mutu pu i ahau nga auetanga katoa o reira.

A dire vision is declared to me: “The traitor still betrays, and the destroyer still destroys. Go up, O Elam! Lay siege, O Media! I will put an end to all her groaning.”

3 Na reira ki tonu toku hope i te mamae, whakawiri rawa nga mea e ngau nei i ahau, ano ko te whakawiringa o te wahine e whakawhanau ana: mamae ana ahau, kore ake e rongo; ohorere ana, kore ake e kite.

Therefore my body is filled with anguish. Pain grips me, like the pains of a woman in labor. I am bewildered to hear, I am dismayed to see.

4 Kahekahe ana toku manawa, wehi ana i te whakamataku: ko te ahiahi po i hiahiatia e ahau, puta ake ana hei mea e tuiri ai ahau.

My heart falters; fear makes me tremble. The twilight of my desire has turned to horror.

5 Kei te whakapai ratou i te tepu, kua whakaritea he kaitutei, kei te kai ratou, kei te inu: whakatika, e nga rangatira, pania te whakangungu rakau.

They prepare a table, they lay out a carpet, they eat, they drink! Rise up, O princes, oil the shields!

6 Ko ta te Ariki kupu hoki tenei ki ahau Tikina, whakaturia he kaitutei, mana e whakaatu tana e kite ai.

For this is what the Lord says to me: “Go, post a lookout and have him report what he sees.

7 Na ka kitea e ia te ope, nga kaieke hoiho tatakirua, he ropu kaihe, he ropu kamera, kia ata whakarongo marie ia.

When he sees chariots with teams of horsemen, riders on donkeys, riders on camels, he must be alert, fully alert.”

8 Katahi tera ka karanga, ano he raiona: e Toku Ariki, kei runga ahau i te wahi tutei e tu tonu ana i te awatea; pau katoa ano nga po i ahau e tu nei i taku mahi tiaki.

Then the lookout shouted: “Day after day, my lord, I stand on the watchtower; night after night I stay at my post.

9 Nana, tenei te haere mai nei he ropu tangata, me nga kaieke hoiho, he tatakirua. Na ka oho ia, ka mea, Kua horo a Papurona, kua horo; ko nga whakapakoko katoa ano o ona atua, wawahia iho ki te whenua.

Look, here come the riders, horsemen in pairs.” And one answered, saying: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon! All the images of her gods lie shattered on the ground!”

10 E taku patunga witi, e te witi o taku patunga; ko taku i rongo ai ki a Ihowa o nga mano, ki te Atua o Iharaira, e whakaaturia nei e ahau ki a koutou.

O my people, crushed on the threshing floor, I tell you what I have heard from the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel.

11 Ko te poropititanga mo Ruma. E karanga mai ana tetahi ki ahau i Heira, E te kaitutei, ko te aha i te po? E te kaitutei, ko te aha i te po?

This is the burden against Dumah: One calls to me from Seir, “Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night?”

12 Ka ki mai te kaitutei, Kei te haere mai te ata raua ko te po: ki te uia e koutou, e ui: hoki mai, haere mai.

The watchman replies, “Morning has come, but also the night. If you would inquire, then inquire. Come back yet again.”

13 Ko te poropititanga mo Arapia. Kei te ngahere i Arapia he nohoanga mo koutou i te po, e nga tira haere o Reranimi.

This is the burden against Arabia: In the thickets of Arabia you must lodge, O caravans of Dedanites.

14 I kawea e ratou he wai mo te tangata e matewai ana; i haere nga tangata o te whenua o Tema ki te whakatau i nga tangata e rere ana, me ta ratou taro.

Bring water for the thirsty, O dwellers of Tema; meet the refugees with food.

15 Ka rere mai hoki ratou i nga hoari, i te hoari kua oti te unu, i te kopere kua oti te whakapiko, i te pakaha ano o te whawhai.

For they flee from the sword— the sword that is drawn— from the bow that is bent, and from the stress of battle.

16 Ko ta te Ariki kupu hoki tenei ki ahau, Kia kotahi tau, ko te tau hoki o te kaimahi, a ka poto katoa te kororia o Kerara.

For this is what the Lord says to me: “Within one year, as a hired worker would count it, all the glory of Kedar will be gone.

17 Na ko nga morehu o nga kaikopere, ko nga marohirohi o nga tama a Kerara, ka torutoru; ko te kupu hoki tenei a Ihowa, a te Atua o Iharaira.

The remaining archers, the warriors of Kedar, will be few.” For the LORD, the God of Israel, has spoken.