1 This is a prophecy about the wilderness by the sea: Like whirlwinds sweeping through the Negev, it comes from the desert, from a dreadful 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 A harsh vision has been shown to me: The betrayer betrays, and the destroyer devastates. Go up, Elam! Surround, Media! I have put an end to all her groaning.

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

3 Therefore my body is filled with trembling; pangs have seized me, like the pangs of a woman in labor. I am bent over by what I heard; I am dismayed by what I saw.

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 staggers; terror overwhelms me. The twilight I longed for has been turned into trembling for me.

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

5 Prepare the table, set a watchman in the watchtower, eat and drink. Rise up, you princes, and anoint the shield!

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

6 For this is what the Lord said to me: 'Go, station a watchman, and let him report what he sees.'

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

7 When he sees chariots with pairs of horsemen, riders on donkeys, riders on camels, let him carefully listen, paying close attention.

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

8 Then he called out, 'Lion! My Lord, I stand continually on the watchtower by day, and I stay at my guard post through all the nights.'

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

9 And behold, here comes a chariot of men, with pairs of horsemen. And he answered, saying, 'Fallen, fallen is Babylon! All the carved images of her gods are shattered 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 unto the ground.

10 O my threshed people and my people crushed on the threshing floor, what I have heard from the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, I have declared to you.

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

11 This is a prophecy concerning Dumah: Someone is calling to me from Seir, saying, 'Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, how much of the night has passed?'

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

12 The watchman replies, 'Morning is coming, but also the night. If you want to inquire, inquire. Come back again.'

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

13 This is a prophecy about Arabia: You will camp in the thickets of Arabia, O caravans of Dedanites.

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

14 Bring water to the thirsty, you inhabitants of the land of Tema; bring bread for the fugitives.

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

15 For they fled from swords, from drawn swords, from bent bows, and from the severity of battle.

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

16 For this is what the Lord said to me: 'In one year, as if it were the years of a hired worker, all the glory of Kedar will come to an end.'

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

17 And the remaining number of the archers, the warriors of the sons of Kedar, will be few, for the LORD, the God of Israel, has spoken.

And the residue 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.