Isaiah 21

Isaiah pronounces the burden of the desert of the sea -- Babylon is fallen, is fallen, and all the graven images of her gods are broken to the ground. He also pronounces burdens against Dumah and Arabia, declaring that within a year the glory of Kedar will fail.

v	King James Version	Modern English
1	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.	The burden of the Desert of the Sea. Like whirlwinds sweeping through the south, it comes from the desert, from a fearful land.
2	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.	A harsh vision has been shown to me. The traitor betrays, the destroyer destroys. "Go up, O Elam! Besiege, O Media!" I have put an end to all the groaning.
3	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.	Therefore my whole body is filled with anguish; pains have seized me like the pains of a woman in labor. I am too troubled to hear; I am too dismayed to see.
4	My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me.	My heart reels; horror has overwhelmed me. The twilight I longed for has become dread for me.
5	Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield.	Prepare the table; set the watch; eat and drink. Arise, O princes! Oil the shield!
6	For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.	For thus the Lord said to me: "Go, post a watchman; let him announce what he sees."
7	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:	When he sees riders — horsemen in pairs, riders on donkeys, riders on camels — let him listen carefully, very carefully.
8	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:	Then the watchman called out: "O Lord, I stand on the watchtower all day long; I have been stationed at my post every night.
9	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.	And a troop of men is coming, horsemen in pairs!" He answered, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon! All the carved images of her gods are shattered to the ground."
10	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.	O my threshed and winnowed one, what I have heard from the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, I now declare to You.
11	The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?	The burden of Dumah. Someone is calling to me from Seir: "Watchman, how much of the night is left? Watchman, how much of the night is left?"
12	The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come.	The watchman says, "Morning comes, and also night. If You will inquire, come back and inquire."
13	The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies of Dedanim.	The burden against Arabia. In the thickets of Arabia You shall lodge, O caravans of Dedanites.
14	The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty, they prevented with their bread him that fled.	Bring water for the thirsty; the inhabitants of the land of Tema meet the fugitive with bread.
15	For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.	For they have fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow, and from the fierce battle.
16	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:	For thus the Lord has said to me: "Within a year, like the years of a hired worker, all the glory of Kedar shall come to an end.
17	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.	The surviving archers of Kedar's warriors shall be few, for the LORD God of Israel has spoken."