| New American Standard Bible 1995 | New Living Translation |
| 1The oracle concerning the wilderness of the sea. As windstorms in the Negev sweep on, It comes from the wilderness, from a terrifying land. | 1This message came to me concerning Babylon—the desert by the sea : Disaster is roaring down on you from the desert, like a whirlwind sweeping in from the Negev. |
| 2A 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. | 2I see a terrifying vision: I see the betrayer betraying, the destroyer destroying. Go ahead, you Elamites and Medes, attack and lay siege. I will make an end to all the groaning Babylon caused. |
| 3For 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. | 3My stomach aches and burns with pain. Sharp pangs of anguish are upon me, like those of a woman in labor. I grow faint when I hear what God is planning; I am too afraid to look. |
| 4My mind reels, horror overwhelms me; The twilight I longed for has been turned for me into trembling. | 4My mind reels and my heart races. I longed for evening to come, but now I am terrified of the dark. |
| 5They set the table, they spread out the cloth, they eat, they drink; "Rise up, captains, oil the shields," | 5Look! They are preparing a great feast. They are spreading rugs for people to sit on. Everyone is eating and drinking. But quick! Grab your shields and prepare for battle. You are being attacked! |
| 6For thus the Lord says to me, "Go, station the lookout, let him report what he sees. | 6Meanwhile, the Lord said to me, “Put a watchman on the city wall. Let him shout out 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." | 7He should look for chariots drawn by pairs of horses, and for riders on donkeys and camels. Let the watchman be fully alert.” |
| 8Then the lookout called, "O Lord, I stand continually by day on the watchtower, And I am stationed every night at my guard post. | 8Then the watchman called out, “Day after day I have stood on the watchtower, my lord. Night after night I have remained at my post. |
| 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." | 9Now at last—look! Here comes a man in a chariot with a pair of horses!” Then the watchman said, “Babylon is fallen, fallen! All the idols of Babylon lie broken on the ground!” |
| 10O 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. | 10O my people, threshed and winnowed, I have told you everything the LORD of Heaven’s Armies has said, everything the God of Israel has told me. A Message about Edom |
| 11The oracle concerning Edom. One keeps calling to me from Seir, "Watchman, how far gone is the night? Watchman, how far gone is the night?" | 11This message came to me concerning Edom : Someone from Edom keeps calling to me, “Watchman, how much longer until morning? When will the night be over?” |
| 12The watchman says, "Morning comes but also night. If you would inquire, inquire; Come back again." | 12The watchman replies, “Morning is coming, but night will soon return. If you wish to ask again, then come back and ask.” A Message about Arabia |
| 13The oracle about Arabia. In the thickets of Arabia you must spend the night, O caravans of Dedanites. | 13This message came to me concerning Arabia: O caravans from Dedan, hide in the deserts of Arabia. |
| 14Bring water for the thirsty, O inhabitants of the land of Tema, Meet the fugitive with bread. | 14O people of Tema, bring water to these thirsty people, food to these weary refugees. |
| 15For they have fled from the swords, From the drawn sword, and from the bent bow And from the press of battle. | 15They have fled from the sword, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow and the terrors of battle. |
| 16For thus the Lord said to me, "In a year, as a hired man would count it, all the splendor of Kedar will terminate; | 16The Lord said to me, “Within a year, counting each day, all the glory of Kedar will come to an end. |
| 17and 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." | 17Only a few of its courageous archers will survive. I, the LORD, the God of Israel, have spoken!” |
| New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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