Isaiah 21

1 The oracle on the desert of the sea: As storm-winds in the South which with a rush from the desert, do come from a terrible land,

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.

2 [So] hath, a grievous vision, been told me: —the deceiver, is deceiving. And the spoiler, is spoiling, Go up, O Elam Besiege O Media, All the sighing she hath caused, have I made to cease.

A grievous vision is declared to me; the treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler plundereth. Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media; all its sighing have I made to cease.

3 For this cause, are my loins filled with anguish, Pangs, have seized me, as the pangs of her that is giving birth, —I writhe so that I cannot hear, I tremble, so that I cannot see:

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.

4 My heart fluttereth, A horror, terrifieth me, —My twilight of pleasure, hath he turned for me into a time of trembling.

My heart panted, fearfulness terrified me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear to me.

5 [Ye thought] to prepare the table—spread the mat—eat—drink! …Arise ye chieftains anoint the shield!

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

6 For, thus, hath My Lord said unto me, —Go, set the watchman, What he seeth, let him tell!

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

7 When he seeth A train of horsemen in double rank, A train of asses, A train of camels, Then shall he hearken attentively with diligent heed.

And he saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen, a chariot of donkeys, and a chariot of camels; and he hearkened diligently with much heed:

8 Then cried he. A lion! On the watch, O My Lord, had I been standing continually, by day, And at my post, had I been stationed whole nights; —

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

9 When lo! here was a train of men coming. With horsemen in double rank, —And one began and said, Fallen! fallen! is Babylon, And all the images of her gods, are smashed to the ground!

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 to the ground.

10 O thou My threshing! And the grain of my corn-floor! That which I have heard from Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, Have I declared, unto you.

O my threshing, and the grain of my floor: that which I have heard from the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared to you.

11 The oracle on Dumah: Unto me, is one crying—out of Seir, Watchman! how far gone is the night? Watchman, how far gone is the night?

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

12 Said the watchman, There cometh a morning. But also a night, —If ye will enquire, enquire, ye—Come, again!

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

13 The oracle on Arabia, —Among the shrubs in Arabia, must ye lodge, Ye caravans of Dedanites.

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

14 To meet the thirsty, bring ye water, —Ye dwellers in the land of Tema; With bread for him, get in advance of him that is in flight!

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

15 For, before swords, have they fled: Before a sword that is drawn, Before a bow that is bent, And before the stress of war.

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

16 For, thus, hath My Lord said unto me, —Within a year according to the yearn of a hireling, shall fail all the glory of Kedar;

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

17 And, the remnant of the record of bowmen, The heroes of the sons of Kedar, shall become few; For Yahweh God of Israel, hath spoken.

And the remainder 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.