1 The word about the waste land. As storm-winds in the South go rushing through, it comes from the waste land, from the land greatly to be feared.

2 A vision of fear comes before my eyes; the worker of deceit goes on in his false way, and the waster goes on making waste. Up! Elam; to the attack! Media; I have put an end to her sorrow.

3 For this cause I am full of bitter grief; pains like the pains of a woman in childbirth have come on me: I am bent down with sorrow at what comes to my ears; I am shocked by what I see.

4 My mind is wandering, fear has overcome me: the evening of my desire has been turned into shaking for me.

5 They make ready the table, they put down the covers, they take food and drink. Up! you captains; put oil on your breastplates.

6 For so has the Lord said to me, Go, let a watchman be placed; let him give word of what he sees:

7 And when he sees war-carriages, horsemen by twos, war-carriages with asses, war-carriages with camels, let him give special attention.

8 And the watchman gave a loud cry, O my lord, I am on the watchtower all day, and am placed in my watch every night:

9 See, here come war-carriages with men, horsemen by twos: and in answer he said, Babylon is made low, is made low, and all her images are broken on the earth.

10 O my crushed ones, the grain of my floor! I have given you the word which came to me from the Lord of armies, the God of Israel.

11 The word about Edom. A voice comes to me from Seir, Watchman, how far gone is the night? how far gone is the night?

12 The watchman says, The morning has come, but night is still to come: if you have questions to put, put them, and come back again.

13 The word about Arabia. In the thick woods of Arabia will be your night's resting-place, O travelling bands of Dedanites!

14 Give water to him who is in need of water; give bread, O men of the land of Tema, to those in flight.

15 For they are in flight from the sharp sword, and the bent bow, and from the trouble of war.

16 For so has the Lord said to me, In a year, by the years of a servant working for payment, all the glory of Kedar will come to an end:

17 And the rest of the bowmen, the men of war of the children of Kedar, will be small in number: for the Lord, the God of Israel, has said it.

1 The burden of the wilderness of the sea.

As whirlwinds in the South sweep through, it cometh from the wilderness, from a terrible land. 2 A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous man dealeth treacherously, and the destroyer destroyeth. Go up, O Elam; besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease. 3 Therefore are my loins filled with anguish; pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman in travail: I am pained so that I cannot hear; I am dismayed so that I cannot see. 4 My heart fluttereth, horror hath affrighted me; the twilight that I desired hath been turned into trembling unto me. 5 They prepare the table, they set the watch, they eat, they drink: rise up, ye princes, anoint the shield. 6 For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman; let him declare what he seeth: 7 and when he seeth a troop, horsemen in pairs, a troop of asses, a troop of camels, he shall hearken diligently with much heed. 8 And he cried as a lion: O Lord, I stand continually upon the watch-tower in the day-time, and am set in my ward whole nights; 9 and, behold, here cometh a troop of men, horsemen in pairs. And he answered and said, Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the graven images of her gods are broken unto the ground.

10 O thou my threshing, and the grain of my floor! that which I have heard from Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you.

11 The burden of Dumah.

One calleth unto me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night? 12 The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will inquire, inquire ye: turn ye, come.

13 The burden upon Arabia.

In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye caravans of Dedanites. 14 Unto him that was thirsty they brought water; the inhabitants of the land of Tema did meet the fugitives with their bread. 15 For they fled away from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war. 16 For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Within a year, according to the years of a hireling, all the glory of Kedar shall fail; 17 and the residue of the number of the archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be few; for Jehovah, the God of Israel, hath spoken it.