| King James Bible | NET Bible |
| 1The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south pass through; so it cometh from the desert, from a terrible land. | 1Here is a message about the Desert by the Sea: Like strong winds blowing in the south, one invades from the desert, from a land that is feared. |
| 2A 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. | 2I have received a distressing message: "The deceiver deceives, the destroyer destroys. Attack, you Elamites! Lay siege, you Medes! I will put an end to all the groaning!" |
| 3Therefore 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. | 3For this reason my stomach churns; cramps overwhelm me like the contractions of a woman in labor. I am disturbed by what I hear, horrified by what I see. |
| 4My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me. | 4My heart palpitates, I shake in fear; the twilight I desired has brought me terror. |
| 5Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield. | 5Arrange the table, lay out the carpet, eat and drink! Get up, you officers, smear oil on the shields! |
| 6For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth. | 6For this is what the sovereign master has told me: "Go, post a guard! He must report what he sees. |
| 7And 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: | 7When he sees chariots, teams of horses, riders on donkeys, riders on camels, he must be alert, very alert." |
| 8And he cried, A lion: My lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights: | 8Then the guard cries out: "On the watchtower, O sovereign master, I stand all day long; at my post I am stationed every night. |
| 9And, 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. | 9Look what's coming! A charioteer, a team of horses." When questioned, he replies, "Babylon has fallen, fallen! All the idols of her gods lie shattered on the ground!" |
| 10O 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. | 10O my downtrodden people, crushed like stalks on the threshing floor, what I have heard from the LORD who commands armies, the God of Israel, I have reported to you. |
| 11The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night? | 11Here is a message about Dumah: Someone calls to me from Seir, "Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night?" |
| 12The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will inquire, inquire ye: return, come. | 12The watchman replies, "Morning is coming, but then night. If you want to ask, ask; come back again." |
| 13The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies of Dedanim. | 13Here is a message about Arabia: In the thicket of Arabia you spend the night, you Dedanite caravans. |
| 14The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty, they prevented with their bread him that fled. | 14Bring out some water for the thirsty. You who live in the land of Tema, bring some food for the fugitives. |
| 15For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war. | 15For they flee from the swords--from the drawn sword and from the battle-ready bow and from the severity of the battle. |
| 16For 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: | 16For this is what the sovereign master has told me: "Within exactly one year all the splendor of Kedar will come to an end. |
| 17And 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. | 17Just a handful of archers, the warriors of Kedar, will be left." Indeed, the LORD God of Israel has spoken. |
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