| Christian Standard Bible | New International Version |
| 1A pronouncement concerning the desert by the sea: Like storms that pass over the Negev, it comes from the desert, from the land of terror. | 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 troubling vision is declared to me: "The treacherous one acts treacherously, and the destroyer destroys. Advance, Elam! Lay siege, you Medes! I will put an end to all the groaning." | 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 I am filled with anguish. Pain grips me, like the pain of a woman in labor. I am too perplexed to hear, too dismayed to 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 terrifies me. He has turned my last glimmer of hope into sheer terror. | 4My heart falters, fear makes me tremble; the twilight I longed for has become a horror to me. |
| 5Prepare a table, and spread out a carpet! Eat and drink! Rise up, you princes, and oil the shields! | 5They set the tables, they spread the rugs, they eat, they drink! Get up, you officers, oil the shields! |
| 6For the Lord has said to me, "Go, post a lookout; let him report 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--pairs of horsemen, riders on donkeys, riders on camels--he must pay close attention." | 7When he sees chariots with teams of horses, riders on donkeys or riders on camels, let him be alert, fully alert." |
| 8Then the lookout reported, "Lord, I stand on the watchtower all day, and I stay at my post all night. | 8And the lookout shouted, "Day after day, my lord, I stand on the watchtower; every night I stay at my post. |
| 9Look, riders come--horsemen in pairs." And he answered, saying, "Babylon has fallen, has fallen. All the images of her gods have been shattered on 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!'" |
| 10My people who have been crushed on the threshing floor, I have declared to you what I have heard from the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel. | 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. |
| 11A pronouncement concerning Dumah: One calls to me from Seir, "Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left 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 said, "Morning has come, and also night. If you want to ask, ask! Come back again." | 12The watchman replies, "Morning is coming, but also the night. If you would ask, then ask; and come back yet again." |
| 13A pronouncement concerning Arabia: In the desert brush you will camp for the night, you caravans of Dedanites. | 13A prophecy against Arabia: You caravans of Dedanites, who camp in the thickets of Arabia, |
| 14Bring water for the thirsty. The inhabitants of the land of Tema meet the refugees with food. | 14bring water for the thirsty; you who live in Tema, bring food for the fugitives. |
| 15For they have fled from swords, from the drawn sword, from the bow that is strung, and from the stress of battle. | 15They flee from the sword, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow and from the heat of battle. |
| 16For the Lord said this to me: "Within one year, as a hired worker counts years, all the glory of Kedar will be gone. | 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. |
| 17The remaining Kedarite archers will be few in number." 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. |
| The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. | 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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