1 The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the South pass through; so it comes from the desert, from a terrible land.
2 A grievous vision is declared to me; the treacherous dealer deals treacherously, and the spoiler spoils. Go up, Oh Elam: besiege, Oh Media; all the sighing have I made to cease.
3 Therefore are my loins filled with pain: pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travails: I was bowed down at the hearing of it; I was dismayed at the seeing of it.
4 My mind wandered, trembling and terrified. The night of my pleasure, He has turned into fear.
5 Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, you princes, and anoint the shield.
6 For thus has the Lord said to me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he sees.
7 And he saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen, a chariot of donkeys, and a chariot of camels; and he listened diligently with much heed:
8 And he cried, A lion: My lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my watch whole nights:
9 And, here comes a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the idols of her gods he has broken to the ground.
10 Oh my threshing, and the corn of my floor: that which I have heard of Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared to you.
11 The burden of Dumah. He calls to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?
12 The watchman said, The morning comes, and also the night: if you will inquire, inquire you: return, come.
13 The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall you lodge, Oh you travelling companies of Dedanim.
14 The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him who was thirsty, they came before him who fled with their bread.
15 For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.
16 For thus has the Lord said to me, Within a year, according to the years of a hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail:
17 And the residue of the number of archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be diminished: for Jehovah God of Israel has spoken it.