| English Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1The oracle concerning the wilderness of the sea. As whirlwinds in the Negeb sweep on, it comes from the wilderness, from a terrible land. | 1An oracle against the desert by the sea: Like storms that pass over the Negev, it comes from the desert, from the 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 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 her groaning." |
| 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. | 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. |
| 4My heart staggers; horror has appalled me; the twilight I longed for has been turned for me into trembling. | 4My heart staggers; horror terrifies me. He has turned my last glimmer of hope into sheer terror. |
| 5They prepare the table, they spread the rugs, they eat, they drink. Arise, O princes; oil the shield! | 5Prepare a table, and spread out a carpet! Eat and drink! Rise up, you princes, and oil the shields! |
| 6For thus the Lord said to me: “Go, set a watchman; let him announce what he sees. | 6For the Lord has said to me," Go, post a lookout; let 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 riders-- pairs of horsemen, riders on donkeys, riders on camels-- he must pay close attention." |
| 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. | 8Then the lookout reported," Lord, I stand on the watchtower all day, and I stay at my post all night. |
| 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, 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." |
| 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 have been crushed on the threshing floor, I have declared to you what I have heard from the LORD of Hosts, 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?” | 11An oracle against Dumah: One 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 said," Morning has come, and also night. If you want to ask, ask! Come back again." |
| 13The oracle concerning Arabia. In the thickets in Arabia you will lodge, O caravans of Dedanites. | 13An oracle against Arabia: In the desert brush you will camp for the night, you caravans of Dedanites. |
| 14To the thirsty bring water; meet the fugitive with bread, O inhabitants of the land of Tema. | 14Bring water for the thirsty. The inhabitants of the land of Tema meet the refugees with food. |
| 15For they have fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow, and from the press of battle. | 15For they have fled from swords, from the drawn sword, from the bow that is strung, and from the stress 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. | 16For the Lord said this to me: "Within one year, as a hired worker counts years, all the glory of Kedar will be gone. |
| 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 remaining Kedarite archers will be few in number." For the LORD, the God of Israel, has spoken. |
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