إِشَعْيَاءَ 21

١ 1 وَحْيٌ مِنْ جِهَةِ بَرِّيَّةِ ٱلْبَحْرِ: كَزَوَابِعَ فِي ٱلْجَنُوبِ عَاصِفَةٍ، يَأْتِي مِنَ ٱلْبَرِّيَّةِ مِنْ أَرْضٍ مَخُوفَةٍ.

[I received] this message [from Yahweh about Babylonia], [a land that is] near the [Persian] Gulf [but which will soon be] a desert. [An army] will soon come from the desert to invade that land; it is an army that causes its enemies to be terrified, an army that will come like a whirlwind from the south.

٢ 2 قَدْ أُعْلِنَتْ لِي رُؤْيَا قَاسِيَةٌ: ٱلنَّاهِبُ نَاهِبًا وَٱلْمُخْرِبُ مُخْرِبًا. اِصْعَدِي يَا عِيلَامُ. حَاصِرِي يَا مَادِي. قَدْ أَبْطَلْتُ كُلَّ أَنِينِهَا.

Yahweh showed me a terrifying vision. [In the vision I saw an army] that will betray/deceive people and steal their possessions [after they conquer them]. [Yahweh said], “You armies from Elam and Media, surround [Babylon] and prepare to attack it! I will cause the groaning [and suffering] that Babylon caused to cease!”

٣ 3 لِذَلِكَ ٱمْتَلَأَتْ حَقْوَايَ وَجَعًا، وَأَخَذَنِي مَخَاضٌ كَمَخَاضِ ٱلْوَالِدَةِ. تَلَوَّيْتُ حَتَّى لَا أَسْمَعُ. اَنْدَهَشْتُ حَتَّى لَا أَنْظُرُ.

Because of that, my body is full of pain; my pain is like the pain that women who are giving birth experience. When I hear about and see [what God is planning to do], I am shocked.

٤ 4 تَاهَ قَلْبِي. بَغَتَنِي رُعْبٌ. لَيْلَةُ لَذَّتِي جَعَلَهَا لِي رِعْدَةً.

I cannot think straight/correctly, and I tremble. I was eager for it to be nighttime, but now it is night, and I am horrified.

٥ 5 يُرَتِّبُونَ ٱلْمَائِدَةَ، يَحْرُسُونَ ٱلْحِرَاسَةَ، يَأْكُلُونَ. يَشْرَبُونَ. قُومُوا أَيُّهَا ٱلرُّؤَسَاءُ ٱمْسَحُوا ٱلْمِجَنَّ!

[In the vision I saw that the leaders of Babylonia] were preparing a great feast. They had spread rugs [for people to sit on]; everyone was eating and drinking. [But] they should get up and prepare their shields, [because they are about to be attacked]!

٦ 6 لِأَنَّهُ هَكَذَا قَالَ لِي ٱلسَّيِّدُ: «ٱذْهَبْ أَقِمِ ٱلْحَارِسَ. لِيُخْبِرْ بِمَا يَرَى».

Then Yahweh said to me, “Put a watchman [on the wall of Jerusalem], and tell him to shout/proclaim what he sees.

٧ 7 فَرَأَى رُكَّابًا أَزْوَاجَ فُرْسَانٍ. رُكَّابَ حَمِيرٍ. رُكَّابَ جِمَالٍ. فَأَصْغَى إِصْغَاءً شَدِيدًا،

Tell him to watch for chariots pulled by pairs of horses, and [men riding] camels and donkeys, [coming from Babylon]. Tell the watchman to watch and listen carefully!”

٨ 8 ثُمَّ صَرَخَ كَأَسَدٍ: «أَيُّهَا ٱلسَّيِّدُ، أَنَا قَائِمٌ عَلَى ٱلْمَرْصَدِ دَائِمًا فِي ٱلنَّهَارِ، وَأَنَا وَاقِفٌ عَلَى ٱلْمَحْرَسِ كُلَّ ٱللَّيَالِي.

[So I did that], and one day the watchman called out, “Day after day I have stood on this watchtower, and I have continued to watch during the day and during the night.

٩ 9 وَهُوَذَا رُكَّابٌ مِنَ ٱلرِّجَالِ. أَزْوَاجٌ مِنَ ٱلْفُرْسَانِ». فَأَجَابَ وَقَالَ: «سَقَطَتْ، سَقَطَتْ بَابِلُ، وَجَمِيعُ تَمَاثِيلِ آلِهَتِهَا ٱلْمَنْحُوتَةِ كَسَّرَهَا إِلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ».

Now, I saw a man riding in a chariot pulled by two horses. [I called out to him], and he answered/shouted, ‘Babylon has been destroyed! All the idols in Babylon lie in pieces on the ground!’”

١٠ 10 يَا دِيَاسَتِي وَبَنِي بَيْدَرِي. مَا سَمِعْتُهُ مِنْ رَبِّ ٱلْجُنُودِ إِلَهِ إِسْرَائِيلَ أَخْبَرْتُكُمْ بِهِ.

My people [in Judah], [the army of Babylon has caused] you to suffer greatly [as though] [MET] you were grain that was threshed and (winnowed/thrown up into the air for the wind to blow away the chaff). [But now] I have told you what the Commander of the armies of angels the God whom we Israelis [worship], told me [about Babylon].

١١ 11 وَحْيٌ مِنْ جِهَةِ دُومَةَ: صَرَخَ إِلَيَّ صَارِخٌ مِنْ سَعِيرَ: «يَا حَارِسُ، مَا مِنَ ٱللَّيْلِ؟ يَا حَارِسُ، مَا مِنَ ٱللَّيْلِ؟»

[I received] this message [from Yahweh] about Edom: Someone from Edom has been calling/shouting to me saying, “Watchman, how long will it be before the night is ended? [DOU]”

١٢ 12 قَالَ ٱلْحَارِسُ: «أَتَى صَبَاحٌ وَأَيْضًا لَيْلٌ. إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَطْلُبُونَ فَٱطْلُبُوا. ٱرْجِعُوا، تَعَالَوْا».

[I], the watchman, replied, “It will [soon] be morning, but after that, it will [soon] be night again. If you want to inquire [again about what will happen in our country], come back and inquire again.”

١٣ 13 وَحْيٌ مِنْ جِهَةِ بِلَادِ ٱلْعَرَبِ: فِي ٱلْوَعْرِ فِي بِلَادِ ٱلْعَرَبِ تَبِيتِينَ، يَا قَوَافِلَ ٱلدَّدَانِيِّينَ.

[I received] this message about Arabia: Give this message to people traveling in caravans from Dedan [town in northwest Arabia], who camp in the scrub there. Tell them to bring water for those who are thirsty.

١٤ 14 هَاتُوا مَاءً لِمُلَاقَاةِ ٱلْعَطْشَانِ، يَا سُكَّانَ أَرْضِ تَيْمَاءَ. وَافُوا ٱلْهَارِبَ بِخُبْزِهِ.

And you people who live in Tema [city in northwest Arabia], must bring food for the (refugees/people who are fleeing from their enemies).

١٥ 15 فَإِنَّهُمْ مِنْ أَمَامِ ٱلسُّيُوفِ قَدْ هَرَبُوا. مِنْ أَمَامِ ٱلسَّيْفِ ٱلْمَسْلُولِ، وَمِنْ أَمَامِ ٱلْقَوْسِ ٱلْمَشْدُودَةِ، وَمِنْ أَمَامِ شِدَّةِ ٱلْحَرْبِ.

They are fleeing in order not to be killed by [their enemies’] swords and not to be shot in battles by arrows.

١٦ 16 فَإِنَّهُ هَكَذَا قَالَ لِيَ ٱلسَّيِّدُ: «فِي مُدَّةِ سَنَةٍ كَسَنَةِ ٱلْأَجِيرِ يَفْنَى كُلُّ مَجْدِ قِيدَارَ،

Yahweh said to me, “Exactly one year from now, all the greatness of the Kedar [area in Arabia] will end.

١٧ 17 وَبَقِيَّةُ عَدَدِ قِسِيِّ أَبْطَالِ بَنِي قِيدَارَ تَقِلُّ، لِأَنَّ ٱلرَّبَّ إِلَهَ إِسْرَائِيلَ قَدْ تَكَلَّمَ».

Only a few of their soldiers who know well how to shoot arrows will remain alive. [That will surely happen] because [I], Yahweh, have said it.”