| New American Standard Bible 1995 | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1The oracle concerning the wilderness of the sea. As windstorms in the Negev sweep on, It comes from the wilderness, from a terrifying 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 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. | 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." |
| 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. | 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 mind reels, horror overwhelms 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 set the table, they spread out the cloth, they eat, they drink; "Rise up, captains, oil the shields," | 5Prepare a table, and spread out a carpet! Eat and drink! Rise up, you princes, and oil the shields! |
| 6For thus the Lord says to me, "Go, station the lookout, let him report what he sees. | 6For the Lord has said to me," Go, post a lookout; let him report 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." | 7When he sees riders-- pairs of horsemen, riders on donkeys, riders on camels-- he must pay close attention." |
| 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 lookout reported," Lord, I stand on the watchtower all day, and I stay at my post all night. |
| 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." | 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 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. | 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 Edom. One keeps calling to me from Seir, "Watchman, how far gone is the night? Watchman, how far gone is 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 but also night. If you would 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 about Arabia. In the thickets of Arabia you must spend the night, O caravans of Dedanites. | 13An oracle against Arabia: In the desert brush you will camp for the night, you caravans of Dedanites. |
| 14Bring water for the thirsty, O inhabitants of the land of Tema, Meet the fugitive with bread. | 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, and 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, "In a year, as a hired man would count it, all the splendor of Kedar will terminate; | 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 number of bowmen, the mighty men of the sons of Kedar, will be few; for the LORD God of Israel has spoken." | 17The remaining Kedarite archers will be few in number." For the LORD, the God of Israel, has 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 | Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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