New King James Version NKJV
Revised Standard Version RSV
1 The burden against the Wilderness of the Sea. As whirlwinds in the South pass through, So it comes from the desert, from a terrible land.
1
The oracle concerning the wilderness of the sea. As whirlwinds in the Negeb sweep on, it comes from the desert, from a terrible land.
2 A distressing vision is declared to me; The treacherous dealer deals treacherously, And the plunderer plunders. Go up, O Elam! Besiege, O Media! All its sighing I have made to cease.
2
A stern vision is told to me; the plunderer plunders, and the destroyer destroys. Go up, O Elam, lay siege, O Media; all the sighing she has caused I bring to an end.
3 Therefore my loins are filled with pain; Pangs have taken hold of me, like the pangs of a woman in labor. I was distressed when I heard it; I was dismayed when I saw it.
3
Therefore my loins are filled with anguish; pangs have seized me, like the pangs of a woman in travail; I am bowed down so that I cannot hear, I am dismayed so that I cannot see.
4 My heart wavered, fearfulness frightened me; The night for which I longed He turned into fear for me.
4
My mind reels, horror has appalled me; the twilight I longed for has been turned for me into trembling.
5 Prepare the table, Set a watchman in the tower, Eat and drink. Arise, you princes, Anoint the shield!
5
They prepare the table, they spread the rugs, they eat, they drink. Arise, O princes, oil the shield!
6 For thus has the Lord said to me: "Go, set a watchman, Let him declare what he sees."
6
For thus the Lord said to me: "Go, set a watchman, let him announce what he sees.
7 And he saw a chariot with a pair of horsemen, A chariot of donkeys, and a chariot of camels, And he listened earnestly with great care.
7
When he sees riders, horsemen in pairs, riders on asses, riders on camels, let him listen diligently, very diligently."
8 Then he cried, "A lion, my Lord! I stand continually on the watchtower in the daytime; I have sat at my post every night.
8
Then he who saw cried: "Upon a watchtower I stand, O Lord, continually by day, and at my post I am stationed whole nights.
9 And look, here comes a chariot of men with a pair of horsemen!" Then he answered and said, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen! And all the carved images of her gods He has broken to the ground."
9
And, behold, here come riders, horsemen in pairs!" And he answered, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the images of her gods he has shattered to the ground."
10 Oh, my threshing and the grain of my floor! That which I have heard from the Lord of hosts, The God of Israel, I have declared to you.
10
O my threshed and winnowed one, what I have heard from the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, I announce to you.
11 The burden against Dumah. He calls to me out of Seir, "Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?"
11
The oracle concerning Dumah. One is calling to me from Se'ir, "Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?"
12 The watchman said, "The morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire; Return! Come back!"
12
The watchman says: "Morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire; come back again."
13 The burden against Arabia. In the forest in Arabia you will lodge, O you traveling companies of Dedanites.
13
The oracle concerning Arabia. In the thickets in Arabia you will lodge, O caravans of De'danites.
14 O inhabitants of the land of Tema, Bring water to him who is thirsty; With their bread they met him who fled.
14
To the thirsty bring water, meet the fugitive with bread, O inhabitants of the land of Tema.
15 For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, From the bent bow, and from the distress of war.
15
For they have fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow, and from the press of battle.
16 For thus the Lord has said to me: "Within a year, according to the year of a hired man, all the glory of Kedar will fail;
16
For thus the Lord said to me, "Within a year, according to the years of a hireling, all the glory of Kedar will come to an end;
17 and the remainder of the number of archers, the mighty men of the people of Kedar, will be diminished; for the Lord God of Israel has spoken it."
17
and the remainder of the archers of the mighty men of the sons of Kedar will be few; for the LORD, the God of Israel, has spoken."
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.