Isaiah 21

massa midbar-yam kesufot bannegev lakhalof mimmidbar ba me'erets nora'ah

The “Desert of the Sea” Pronouncement. Like the gales That race through the Negeb, It comes from the desert, The terrible land.

khazut qashah huggad-li habboged boged vehashoded shoded ali elam tsuri maday kol-ankhatah hishbatti

A harsh prophecy Has been announced to me: “The betrayer is betraying, The ravager ravaging. Advance, Elam! Lay siege, Media! I have put an end To all her sighing.”

al-ken male'u motnay khalkhalah tsirim akhazuni ketsire yoledah na'aveti mishemoa nivhaleti mere'ot

Therefore my loins Are seized with trembling; I am gripped by pangs Like a woman in travail, Too anguished to hear, Too frightened to see.

ta'ah levavi pallatsut bi'atateni et neshef khishqi sam li lakharadah

My mind is confused, I shudder in panic. My night of pleasure He has turned to terror:

arokh hashulkhan tsafoh hatsafit akhol shatoh qumu hassarim mishkhu magen

“Set the table!” To “Let the watchman watch!” “Eat and drink!” To “Up, officers! Grease the shields!”

ki khoh amar elay adonay lekh ha'amed hametsappeh asher yireh yaggid

For thus my Sovereign said to me: “Go, set up a sentry; Let him announce what he sees.

vera'ah rekhev tsemed parashim rekhev khamor rekhev gamal vehiqshiv qeshev rav-qashev

He will see mounted men, Horsemen in pairs— Riders on donkeys, Riders on camels— And he will listen closely, Most attentively.”

vayyiqra aryeh al-mitspeh adonay anokhi omed tamid yomam ve'al-mishmarti anokhi nitsav kol-hallelot

And [like] a lion he called out: “On my Sovereign’s lookout I stand Ever by day, And at my post I watch Every night.

vehinneh-zeh va rekhev ish tsemed parashim vayya'an vayyomer nafelah nafelah bavel vekhol-pesile eloheha shibbar la'arets

And there they come, mounted men— Horsemen in pairs!” Then he spoke up and said, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon, And all the images of her gods Have crashed to the ground!”

medushati uven-gorni asher shamati me'et Adonai tseva'ot elohe yisra'el higgadti lakhem

My threshing, the product of my threshing floor: What I have heard from GOD of Hosts, The God of Israel— That I have told to you.

massa dumah elay qore misse'ir shomer mah-mmillaylah shomer mah-mmillel

The “Dumah” Pronouncement. A call comes to me from Seir: “Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?”

amar shomer atah voqer vegam-layelah im-tivayun be'ayu shuvu etayu

The watchman replied, “Morning came, and so did night. If you would inquire, inquire. Come back again.”

massa barav bayya'ar barav talinu orekhot dedanim

The “In the Steppe” Pronouncement. In the scrub, in the steppe, you will lodge, O caravans of the Dedanites!

liqrat tsame hetayu mayim yosheve erets tema belakhmo qiddemu noded

Meet the thirsty with water, You who dwell in the land of Tema; Greet the fugitive with bread.

ki-mippene kharavot nadadu mippene kherev netushah umippene qeshet derukhah umippene koved milkhamah

For they have fled before swords: Before the whetted sword, Before the bow that was drawn, Before the stress of war.

ki-khoh amar adonay elay be'od shanah kishne sakhir vekhalah kol-kevod qedar

For thus my Sovereign has said to me: “In another year, fixed like the years of a hired laborer, all the multitude of Kedar shall vanish;

ushe'ar mispar-qeshet gibbore vene-qedar yimatu ki Adonai elohe-yisra'el dibber

the remaining bows of Kedar’s warriors shall be few in number; for the ETERNAL, the God of Israel, has spoken.”