Isaia 21

1 Povara deşertului mării. Precum trec vârtejurile de vânt din sud, la fel vine din deşert, dintr-o ţară înfricoşătoare.

[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 O viziune apăsătoare îmi este arătată; cel perfid se poartă cu perfidie şi prădătorul pradă. Urcă-te, Elame, asediază tu Medio! Am făcut să înceteze tot suspinul lor.

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 De aceea coapsele mele sunt umplute cu durere; junghiuri m-au apucat, ca junghiurile unei femei care [suferă] durerile naşterii; am fost încovoiat la auzirea ei; am fost descurajat la vederea ei.

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 Inima mea a tânjit, groaza m-a înspăimântat; el mi-a prefăcut în frică noaptea plăcerii mele.

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 Pregătiţi masa, vegheaţi în turnul de veghere, mâncaţi, beţi; ridicaţi-vă, prinţilor, şi ungeţi scutul.

[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 Fiindcă astfel mi-a spus Domnul: Du-te, pune un paznic, să vestească ce vede.

Then Yahweh said to me, “Put a watchman [on the wall of Jerusalem], and tell him to shout/proclaim what he sees.

7 Iar el a văzut un car cu doi călăreţi, un car cu măgari [şi] un car cu cămile; şi le-a dat bine ascultare, cu multă atenţie;

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 Şi a strigat: Un leu, Domnul meu, stau continuu în turnul de veghere în timpul zilei şi sunt pus în postul meu nopţi întregi;

[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 Şi, iată, se apropie un car cu bărbaţi, cu doi călăreţi. Iar el a răspuns şi a zis: Babilonul a căzut, a căzut; şi toate chipurile cioplite ale dumnezeilor lui le-a zdrobit la pământ.

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 Treieratul meu şi grânele ariei mele, ceea ce am auzit de la DOMNUL oştirilor, Dumnezeul lui Israel, v-am vestit!

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 Povara lui Duma. Mă cheamă din Seir: Paznicule, cât din noapte? Paznicule, cât din noapte?

[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 Paznicul a spus: Dimineaţa vine şi de asemenea noaptea; dacă veţi cerceta, cercetaţi; întoarceţi-vă, veniţi.

[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 Povara asupra Arabiei. În pădurea Arabiei veţi poposi, voi, caravane din Dedanim.

[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 Locuitorii ţării Tema au adus apă celui însetat, l-au întâmpinat cu pâinea lor pe cel care fugea.

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 Căci ei au fugit de săbii, de sabia scoasă şi de arcul încordat şi de apăsarea războiului.

They are fleeing in order not to be killed by [their enemies’] swords and not to be shot in battles by arrows.

16 Fiindcă astfel mi-a spus Domnul: Mai puţin de un an, conform anilor unui angajat, şi toată gloria Chedarului se va sfârşi;

Yahweh said to me, “Exactly one year from now, all the greatness of the Kedar [area in Arabia] will end.

17 Şi rămăşiţa numărului de arcaşi, războinici ai copiilor Chedarului, va fi micşorată, căci DOMNUL Dumnezeul lui Israel a vorbit.

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.”