| English Standard Version | New International Version |
| 1The oracle concerning the wilderness of the sea. As whirlwinds in the Negeb sweep on, it comes from the wilderness, from a terrible land. | 1A prophecy against the Desert by the Sea: Like whirlwinds sweeping through the southland, an invader comes from the desert, from a land of terror. |
| 2A stern vision is told to me; the traitor betrays, and the destroyer destroys. Go up, O Elam; lay siege, O Media; all the sighing she has caused I bring to an end. | 2A dire vision has been shown to me: The traitor betrays, the looter takes loot. Elam, attack! Media, lay siege! I will bring to an end all the groaning she caused. |
| 3Therefore my loins are filled with anguish; pangs have seized me, like the pangs of a woman in labor; I am bowed down so that I cannot hear; I am dismayed so that I cannot see. | 3At this my body is racked with pain, pangs seize me, like those of a woman in labor; I am staggered by what I hear, I am bewildered by what I see. |
| 4My heart staggers; horror has appalled me; the twilight I longed for has been turned for me into trembling. | 4My heart falters, fear makes me tremble; the twilight I longed for has become a horror to me. |
| 5They prepare the table, they spread the rugs, they eat, they drink. Arise, O princes; oil the shield! | 5They set the tables, they spread the rugs, they eat, they drink! Get up, you officers, oil the shields! |
| 6For thus the Lord said to me: “Go, set a watchman; let him announce what he sees. | 6This is what the Lord says to me: "Go, post a lookout and have him report what he sees. |
| 7When he sees riders, horsemen in pairs, riders on donkeys, riders on camels, let him listen diligently, very diligently.” | 7When he sees chariots with teams of horses, riders on donkeys or riders on camels, let him be alert, fully alert." |
| 8Then he who saw cried out: “Upon a watchtower I stand, O Lord, continually by day, and at my post I am stationed whole nights. | 8And the lookout shouted, "Day after day, my lord, I stand on the watchtower; every night I stay at my post. |
| 9And behold, here come riders, horsemen in pairs!” And he answered, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the carved images of her gods he has shattered to the ground.” | 9Look, here comes a man in a chariot with a team of horses. And he gives back the answer: 'Babylon has fallen, has fallen! All the images of its gods lie shattered on the ground!'" |
| 10O my threshed and winnowed one, what I have heard from the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, I announce to you. | 10My people who are crushed on the threshing floor, I tell you what I have heard from the LORD Almighty, from the God of Israel. |
| 11The oracle concerning Dumah. One is calling to me from Seir, “Watchman, what time of the night? Watchman, what time of the night?” | 11A prophecy against Dumah: Someone calls to me from Seir, "Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night?" |
| 12The watchman says: “Morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire; come back again.” | 12The watchman replies, "Morning is coming, but also the night. If you would ask, then ask; and come back yet again." |
| 13The oracle concerning Arabia. In the thickets in Arabia you will lodge, O caravans of Dedanites. | 13A prophecy against Arabia: You caravans of Dedanites, who camp in the thickets of Arabia, |
| 14To the thirsty bring water; meet the fugitive with bread, O inhabitants of the land of Tema. | 14bring water for the thirsty; you who live in Tema, bring food for the fugitives. |
| 15For they have fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow, and from the press of battle. | 15They flee from the sword, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow and from the heat of battle. |
| 16For thus the Lord said to me, “Within a year, according to the years of a hired worker, all the glory of Kedar will come to an end. | 16This is what the Lord says to me: "Within one year, as a servant bound by contract would count it, all the splendor of Kedar will come to an end. |
| 17And 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.” | 17The survivors of the archers, the warriors of Kedar, will be few." The LORD, the God of Israel, has spoken. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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