Isaiah 21 Parallel Bible Translations

Isaiah 21 ▼
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JPS
JPS Tanakh 1917
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English Standard Version
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1 The burden of the wilderness of the sea. As whirlwinds in the South sweeping on, It cometh from the wilderness, from a dreadful land. The oracle concerning the wilderness of the sea. As whirlwinds in the Negeb sweep on, it comes from the wilderness, from a terrible land. A prophecy against the Desert by the Sea: Like whirlwinds sweeping through the southland, an invader comes from the desert, from a land of terror.
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 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. A dire vision has been shown to me: The traitor betrays, the looter takes loot. Elam, attack! Media, lay siege! I will bring to an end all the groaning she caused.
3 Therefore are my loins filled with convulsion; Pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman in travail; I am bent so that I cannot hear; I am affrighted so that I cannot see. Therefore 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. At this my body is racked with pain, pangs seize me, like those of a woman in labor; I am staggered by what I hear, I am bewildered by what I see.
4 My heart is bewildered, terror hath overwhelmed me; The twilight that I longed for hath been turned for me into trembling. My heart staggers; horror has appalled me; the twilight I longed for has been turned for me into trembling. My heart falters, fear makes me tremble; the twilight I longed for has become a horror to me.
5 They prepare the table, they light the lamps, they eat, they drink-- 'Rise up, ye princes, anoint the shield.' They prepare the table, they spread the rugs, they eat, they drink. Arise, O princes; oil the shield! They set the tables, they spread the rugs, they eat, they drink! Get up, you officers, oil the shields!
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, set a watchman; let him announce what he sees. This is what the Lord says to me: “Go, post a lookout and have him report what he sees.
7 And when he seeth a troop, horsemen by pairs, A troop of asses, a troop of camels, He shall hearken diligently with much heed. When he sees riders, horsemen in pairs, riders on donkeys, riders on camels, let him listen diligently, very diligently.” When he sees chariots with teams of horses, riders on donkeys or riders on camels, let him be alert, fully alert.”
8 And he cried as a lion: 'Upon the watch-tower, O Lord, I stand continually in the daytime, And I am set in my ward all the nights.' Then he who saw cried out: “Upon a watchtower I stand, O Lord, continually by day, and at my post I am stationed whole nights. And the lookout shouted, “Day after day, my lord, I stand on the watchtower; every night I stay at my post.
9 And, behold, there came a troop of men, horsemen by pairs. And he spoke and said: 'Fallen, fallen is Babylon; And all the graven images of her gods are broken unto the ground.' And 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.” Look, here comes a man in a chariot with a team of horses. And he gives back the answer: ‘Babylon has fallen, has fallen! All the images of its gods lie shattered on the ground!’”
10 O thou my threshing, and the winnowing of my floor, That which I have heard from 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 announce to you. My people who are crushed on the threshing floor, I tell you what I have heard from the LORD Almighty, from the God of Israel.
11 The burden of Dumah. One calleth unto me out of Seir: 'Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?' The oracle concerning Dumah. One is calling to me from Seir, “Watchman, what time of the night? Watchman, what time of the night?” A prophecy against Dumah: Someone calls to me from Seir, “Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night?”
12 The watchman said: 'The morning cometh, and also the night-- If ye will inquire, inquire ye; return, come.' The watchman says: “Morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire; come back again.” The watchman replies, “Morning is coming, but also the night. If you would ask, then ask; and come back yet again.”
13 The burden upon Arabia. In the thickets in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye caravans of Dedanites. The oracle concerning Arabia. In the thickets in Arabia you will lodge, O caravans of Dedanites. A prophecy against Arabia: You caravans of Dedanites, who camp in the thickets of Arabia,
14 Unto him that is thirsty bring ye water! The inhabitants of the land of Tema did meet the fugitive with his bread. To the thirsty bring water; meet the fugitive with bread, O inhabitants of the land of Tema. bring water for the thirsty; you who live in Tema, bring food for the fugitives.
15 For they fled away 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 press of battle. They flee from the sword, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow and from the heat of battle.
16 For thus hath the Lord said unto me: 'Within a year, according to the years of a hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail; For 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. This is what the Lord says to me: “Within one year, as a servant bound by contract would count it, all the splendor of Kedar will come to an end.
17 and the residue of the number of the archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be diminished; for the LORD, the God of Israel, hath spoken it.' And 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.” The survivors of the archers, the warriors of Kedar, will be few.” The LORD, the God of Israel, has spoken.
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