1 T he special word about the place by the sea where no people live: As wind-storms in the Negev go rushing through, it comes from the desert, from a bad 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 hard special dream has been shown to me. The one who hurts still goes on hurting others, and the destroyer still destroys. Go up, Elam. Gather your armies around, Media. I will bring an end to all the crying she has caused.

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 F or this reason my body is full of suffering. Pains have taken hold of me like the pains of a woman giving birth. I am so troubled that I cannot hear. I am so afraid that I cannot see.

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 M y mind turns. Fear has come over me. The evening I have waited so long for has been turned into a time of shaking with fear.

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

5 T hey set the tables. They spread out the cloth. They eat and drink. Rise up, captains, oil the battle-coverings!

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

6 F or the Lord says to me, “Go, set a man to keep watch. Let him tell what he sees.

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

7 W hen he sees men riding on horses, two by two, and men on donkeys, and men on camels, let him be very careful to watch.”

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 T hen the watchman called out like a lion, “O Lord, I stand watching from the watch-tower at all times during the day. And I stand there every night.

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 N ow see, here comes an army of men riding on horses, two by two.” One answered and said, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon. All the objects of her gods are broken to pieces on 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 people of Israel, you were beaten and crushed like grain! What I have heard from the Lord of All, the God of Israel, I make known to you. Word about Edom

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 T he special word about Edom: One is calling to me from Seir, “Watchman, what is the time of night? Watchman, what is the time of night?”

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

12 T he watchman says, “The morning comes, but also the night. If you have questions to ask, ask them, and come back again.” Word about Arabia

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

13 T he special word about Arabia: You must stay the night among the trees of Arabia, O traveling people of Dedanim.

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

14 B ring water for the thirsty. O people of the land of Tema, give bread to the one who is running from trouble.

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

15 T hey are running from swords, from lifted swords, from bows that are ready to shoot, and from the trouble of battle.

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

16 F or the Lord said to me, “In a year, as the servant would count it, all the greatness 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 A nd the rest of the men who use the bow, the strong men of the sons of Kedar, will be few. For the Lord 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.