Isaiah, 21

1. The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south pass through; [so] it cometh from the desert, from a terrible land.

1. An oracle concerning the Desert by the Sea: A fearful vision is shown to me: As whirlwinds sweep over the Negeb, coming in waves from the desert, from the fearful land,

2. 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.

2. the traitor betrays, the plunderer plunders. "Go up, O Elam! Lay siege, O Media!" "I have silenced all the groanings."

3. Therefore are my loins filled with pain: pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth: I was bowed down at the hearing [of it]; I was dismayed at the seeing [of it].

3. Therefore I am in anguish; my body is wracked with pain as a woman in travail. I am so bewildered that I cannot hear, I am so dismayed that I cannot see.

4. My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me.

4. My mind reels, my heart falters in fear; the twilight I longed for has become a horror.

5. Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, [and] anoint the shield.

5. They set the tables, they spread the rugs, they eat and drink. Arise, O princes, oil the shield!

6. For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.

6. For this is what Yahweh said to me, "Go, post a watchman and make him report what he sees.

7. And he saw a chariot [with] a couple of horsemen, a chariot of asses, [and] a chariot of camels; and he hearkened diligently with much heed:

7. If he sees riders: horsemen in pairs, men mounted on camels, men mounted on donkeys; let him observe diligently, let him listen attentively."

8. And he cried, A lion: My lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights:

8. Then the watchman shouted, "On a watchtower, O Lord, I stand through all the watches of the day, and at my post I stay through all the watches of the night.

9. And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, [with] a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground.

9. And look, here come riders, horsemen in pairs." And he spoke up again: 'Fallen is Babylon, fallen, and all the graven images of her gods lie shattered on the ground !'"

10. O my threshing, and the corn of my floor: that which I have heard of the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you.

10. O my people, threshed and winnowed, I announce to you what I have heard from Yahweh Sabaoth, the God of Israel.

11. The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?

11. An oracle concerning Dumah: Someone calls to me out of Seir, "Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?"

12. The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come.

12. The watchman answers, "Morning comes, but soon it will be night again. Come back and ask, if you want to ask again."

13. The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies of Dedanim.

13. An oracle concerning Arabia: In the forest of Arabia lodge the Dedanites' traveling companies.

14. The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty, they prevented with their bread him that fled.

14. Those who dwell in the land of Tema went to meet the fugitives: bring bread for the hungry and water for the thirsty.

15. For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.

15. These people have fled from the sword, from the whetted swords, from the bent bows, from the fury of battle.

16. For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Within a year, according to the years of an hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail:

16. For thus Yahweh says to me, "In a year's time, as a worker bound by contract would reckon it, all the glory of Kedar will come to an end.

17. And the residue of the number of archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be diminished: for the LORD God of Israel hath spoken [it].

17. Few of Kedar's archers and warriors will remain." Yahweh God of Israel has spoken.