1 The burden of the wilderness of the sea.

As whirlwinds in the South sweep through, it comes from the wilderness, from an awesome land. 2 A grievous vision is declared to me. The treacherous man deals treacherously, and the destroyer destroys. Go up, Elam; attack! I have stopped all of Media’s sighing. 3 Therefore my thighs are filled with anguish. Pains have seized me, like the pains of a woman in labor. I am in so much pain that I can’t hear. I am so dismayed that I can’t see. 4 My heart flutters. Horror has frightened me. The twilight that I desired has been turned into trembling for me. 5 They prepare the table. They set the watch. They eat. They drink. Rise up, you princes, oil the shield! 6 For the Lord said to me, "Go, set a watchman. Let him declare what he sees. 7 When he sees a troop, horsemen in pairs, a troop of donkeys, a troop of camels, he shall listen diligently with great attentiveness." 8 He cried like a lion: "Lord, I stand continually on the watchtower in the daytime, and every night I stay at my post. 9 Behold, here comes a troop of men, horsemen in pairs." He answered, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the engraved images of her gods are broken to the ground.

10 You are my threshing, and the grain of my floor!" That which I have heard from Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, I have declared to you.

11 The burden of Dumah.

One calls to me out of Seir, "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. Come back again."

13 The burden on Arabia.

You will lodge in the thickets in Arabia, you caravans of Dedanites. 14 They brought water to him who was thirsty. The inhabitants of the land of Tema met the fugitives with their bread. 15 For they fled away from the swords, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow, and from the heat of battle. 16 For the Lord said to me, "Within a year, as a worker bound by contract would count it, all the glory of Kedar will fail, 17 and the residue of the number of the archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, will be few; for Yahweh, the God of Israel, has spoken it."

1 The burden of the desert of the sea. As the whirlwinds which pass through the wilderness in the land of the south, [so] they come from the terrible land.

2 A grievous vision is shown unto me. For [one] who is treacherous, another who deals treacherously, and for [one] destroyer, [another] destroyer. Rise up, Elam; besiege Media; all the sighing thereof I have made to cease.

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

4 My heart panted; the horror frightened me; the night of my pleasure he has turned into fear unto me.

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

6 For thus has the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman who shall declare what he sees.

7 And he saw a chariot [with] a couple of horsemen, a chariot of asses, [and] a chariot of camels; then he looked with more diligence;

8 and he cried, A lion upon the watchman. My lord, I stand continually [all] the day and all night long upon my watchtower.

9 And, behold, this chariot of men comes [with] a couple of horsemen. Afterwards he spoke and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he has broken unto the ground.

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

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

12 The watchman said, The morning comes and then the night; if ye will enquire, enquire ye; return, and come.

13 The burden upon Arabia. In the forest ye shall pass the night in Arabia, O ye walkers of Dedanim.

14 Go ye out to meet them bringing water for the thirsty, O inhabitants of the land of Tema; succour those who are fleeing with your bread.

15 For they flee from the presence of the sword, from the presence of the drawn sword, from the presence of the bent bow, from the presence of the grievousness of the battle.

16 For thus has the Lord said unto me, Within a year, according to the years of a hireling, all the glory of Kedar shall be undone:

17 And the residue of the number of valiant archers, sons of Kedar, shall be diminished: for the LORD God of Israel has spoken [it].: