1 T he oracle concerning the wilderness of the sea. As windstorms in the Negev sweep on, It comes from the wilderness, from a terrifying land.

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.

2 A harsh vision has been shown to me; The treacherous one still deals treacherously, and the destroyer still destroys. Go up, Elam, lay siege, Media; I have made an end of all the groaning she has caused.

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.

3 F or this reason my loins are full of anguish; Pains have seized me like the pains of a woman in labor. I am so bewildered I cannot hear, so terrified I cannot see.

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.

4 M y mind reels, horror overwhelms me; The twilight I longed for has been turned for me into trembling.

My heart wavered, fearfulness frightened me; The night for which I longed He turned into fear for me.

5 T hey set the table, they spread out the cloth, they eat, they drink; “Rise up, captains, oil the shields,”

Prepare the table, Set a watchman in the tower, Eat and drink. Arise, you princes, Anoint the shield!

6 F or thus the Lord says to me, “Go, station the lookout, let him report what he sees.

For thus has the Lord said to me: “Go, set a watchman, Let him declare what he sees.”

7 “ When he sees riders, horsemen in pairs, A train of donkeys, a train of camels, Let him pay close attention, very close attention.”

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.

8 T hen the lookout called, “ O Lord, I stand continually by day on the watchtower, And I am stationed every night at my guard post.

Then he cried, “A lion, my Lord! I stand continually on the watchtower in the daytime; I have sat at my post every night.

9 “ Now behold, here comes a troop of riders, horsemen in pairs.” And one said, “ Fallen, fallen is Babylon; And all the images of her gods are shattered on the ground.”

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.”

10 O my threshed people, and my afflicted of the threshing floor! What I have heard from the Lord of hosts, The God of Israel, I make known to you. Oracles about Edom and Arabia

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. Proclamation Against Edom

11 T he oracle concerning Edom. One keeps calling to me from Seir, “Watchman, how far gone is the night? Watchman, how far gone is the night?”

The burden against Dumah. He calls to me out of Seir, “Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?”

12 T he watchman says, “Morning comes but also night. If you would inquire, inquire; Come back again.”

The watchman said, “The morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire; Return! Come back!” Proclamation Against Arabia

13 T he oracle about Arabia. In the thickets of Arabia you must spend the night, O caravans of Dedanites.

The burden against Arabia. In the forest in Arabia you will lodge, O you traveling companies of Dedanites.

14 B ring water for the thirsty, O inhabitants of the land of Tema, Meet the fugitive with bread.

O inhabitants of the land of Tema, Bring water to him who is thirsty; With their bread they met him who fled.

15 F or they have fled from the swords, From the drawn sword, and from the bent bow And from the press of battle.

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

16 F or thus the Lord said to me, “In a year, as a hired man would count it, all the splendor of Kedar will terminate;

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;

17 a nd the remainder of the number of bowmen, the mighty men of the sons of Kedar, will be few; for the Lord God of Israel has spoken.”

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. ”