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.
A message about the desert by the sea. Like storm winds passing through the Negev, something is coming 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 horrifying vision that has been explained to me. The betrayer still betrays; the destroyer still destroys. Elamites and Medes, go ahead, attack and lay siege to Babylon, for I'm putting a stop to all the pain it has caused.
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.
As a result my body is filled with agony. I'm overwhelmed with pain, like the pain of a woman giving birth. I am confused by what I hear; I am distressed by what I 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 mind falters; I shake in panic. The night I looked forward to has become terrifying.
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 set the table, they spread out the rugs, they eat and drink… “Get up, officers! Prepare your shields for battle!”
6 Ko ta te Ariki kupu hoki tenei ki ahau Tikina, whakaturia he kaitutei, mana e whakaatu tana e kite ai.
This is what the Lord told me: “Go! Have a lookout keep watch, and make sure he reports 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 coming pulled by pairs of horses, riders on donkeys and on camels, he should watch very carefully, paying close attention.”
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 “Sir, I've stood here on the watchtower day after day; night after night I've remained 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.
Now look! A man in a chariot with a pair of horses is coming.” Then he said, “Babylon has fallen, has fallen! All the idols of its gods lie smashed 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.
My poor downtrodden people, so badly mistreated, I have told you what I have heard from the Lord Almighty, 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?
A message about Edom. A voice is calling to me from Seir, asking, “Watchman, what time of night is it? Watchman, what time of night is it?”
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 is coming, but the night is coming again soon. If you want to ask again, then come back and ask.”
13 Ko te poropititanga mo Arapia. Kei te ngahere i Arapia he nohoanga mo koutou i te po, e nga tira haere o Reranimi.
A message about Arabia. Caravans from Dedan, spend the night in the bushes.
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.
People of Tema, take water to the thirsty, 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.
They're running away from a fierce battle, from swords, drawn swords, from bows and arrows.
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.
This is what the Lord told me: “Within one year, just as a contract worker precisely counts years, 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.
There will only be a few left of the archers, the warriors of Kedar.” The Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken.
