Isaiah 21

1 This is the burden against the Desert by the Sea: Like whirlwinds sweeping through the Negev, an invader comes from the desert, from a land of terror.

1 نُبُوءَةٌ بِشَأْنِ بَابِلَ: كَمَا تَعْبُرُ الزَّوَابِعُ فِي النَّقَبِ، هَكَذَا يُقْبِلُ الْغَازِي مِنَ الصَّحْرَاءِ، مِنْ أَرْضِ الرُّعْبِ.

2 A dire vision is declared to me: “The traitor still betrays, and the destroyer still destroys. Go up, O Elam! Lay siege, O Media! I will put an end to all her groaning.”

2 لَقَدْ أُعْلِنَتْ لِي رُؤْيَا رَهِيبَةٌ: رَأَيْتُ النَّاهِبَ يَنْهَبُ، وَالْمُدَمِّرَ يُدَمِّرُ. فَاصْعَدِي يَا عِيلامُ، وَحَاصِرِي يَا مَادِي، لأَنَّنِي سَأُسْكِتُ كُلَّ الأَنِينِ الَّذِي سَبَّبَهُ.

3 Therefore my body is filled with anguish. Pain grips me, like the pains of a woman in labor. I am bewildered to hear, I am dismayed to see.

3 لِذَلِكَ امْتَلَأَتْ حَقْوايَ أَلَماً، وَانْتَابَنِي مَخَاضٌ كَمَخَاضِ الْوَالِدَةِ. فَقَدْتُ الْوَعْيَ مِنْ جَرَّاءِ مَا سَمِعْتُ، وَذُهِلْتُ مِمَّا رَأَيْتُ

4 My heart falters; fear makes me tremble. The twilight I desired has turned to horror.

4 تَحَيَّرَ قَلْبِي، وَأَرْعَبَنِي الْفَزَعُ، فَتَحَوَّلَ لَيْلِي الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَتُوقُ إِلَيْهِ إِلَى رَعْدَةٍ.

5 They prepare a table, they lay out a carpet, they eat, they drink! Rise up, O princes, oil the shields!

5 أَعَدُّوا مَائِدَةً وَفَرَشُوا السَّجَاجِيدَ، أَكَلُوا وَشَرِبُوا، فَانْهَضُوا يَا أُمَرَاءُ، وَادْهِنُوا بِالزَّيْتِ تُرُوسَكُمْ.

6 For this is what the Lord says to me: “Go, post a lookout and have him report what he sees.

6 لأَنَّهُ هَكَذَا قَالَ الرَّبُّ لِي: اذْهَبْ وَأَقِمْ رَقِيباً لِيُعْلِنَ مَا يَرَاهُ.

7 When he sees chariots with teams of horsemen, riders on donkeys, riders on camels, he must be alert, fully alert.”

7 وَعِنْدَمَا يُشَاهِدُ رَاكِبِينَ فُرْسَاناً أَزْوَاجاً أَزْوَاجاً، أَوْ رَاكِبِينَ عَلَى حَمِيرٍ، وَرَاكِبِينَ عَلَى جِمَالٍ، فَلْيُصْغِ إِصْغَاءً شَدِيداً.

8 Then the lookout shouted: “Day after day, my lord, I stand on the watchtower; night after night I stay at my post.

8 ثُمَّ هَتَفَ الرَّقِيبُ: هَا أَنَا أَقِفُ عَلَى بُرْجِ الْمُرَاقَبَةِ يَوْماً بَعْدَ يَوْمٍ أَيُّهَا الرَّبُّ، وَأَقُوْمُ عَلَى الْمَحْرَسِ طَوَالَ اللَّيْلِ.

9 Look, here come the riders, horsemen in pairs.” And one answered, saying: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon! All the images of her gods lie shattered on the ground!”

9 فَهَا رَكْبٌ قَادِمٌ، فُرْسَانٌ أَزْوَاجٌ أَزْوَاجٌ. فَأَجَابَ: سَقَطَتْ سَقَطَتْ بَابِلُ وَتَحَطَّمَتْ سَائِرُ أَصْنَامِهَا عَلَى الأَرْضِ.

10 O my people, crushed on the threshing floor, I tell you what I have heard from the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel.

10 آهِ يَا شَعْبِيَ الْمَطْحُونَ وَالْمُشَتَّتَ، لَقَدْ أَنْبَأْتُكُمْ بِكُلِّ مَا سَمِعْتُهُ مِنَ الرَّبِّ الْقَدِيرِ إِلَهِ إِسْرَائِيلَ.

11 This is the burden against Dumah: One calls to me from Seir, “Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night?”

11 نُبُوءَةٌ بِشَأْنِ أَدُومَ: هَتَفَ صَارِخٌ مِنْ سَعِيرَ: «يَا رَقِيبُ، مَاذَا بَقِيَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ؟ أَمَا آنَ لَهُ أَنْ يَنْتَهِيَ؟»

12 The watchman replies, “Morning has come, but also the night. If you would inquire, then inquire. Come back yet again.”

12 فَأَجَابَ الرَّقِيبُ: «أَشْرَقَ الصُّبْحُ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّيْلَ أَقْبَلَ مَعَهُ، فَإِنْ رَغِبْتُمْ فِي السُّؤَالِ فَاسْأَلُوا، ثُمَّ تَعَالَوْا وَارْجِعُوا إِلَى اللهِ».

13 This is the burden against Arabia: In the thickets of Arabia you must lodge, O caravans of Dedanites.

13 نُبُوءَةٌ بِشَأْنِ شِبْهِ الْجَزِيرَةِ الْعَرَبِيَّةِ: سَتَبِيتِينَ فِي صَحَارِي بِلادِ الْعَرَبِ يَا قَوَافِلَ الدَّدَانِيِّينَ،

14 Bring water for the thirsty, O dwellers of Tema; meet the refugees with food.

14 فَاحْمِلَوا يَا أَهْلَ تَيْمَاءَ الْمَاءَ لِلْعَطْشَانِ، وَاسْتَقْبِلُوا الْهَارِبِينَ بِالْخُبْزِ،

15 For they flee from the sword—the sword that is drawn—from the bow that is bent, and from the stress of battle.

15 لأَنَّهُمْ قَدْ فَرُّوا مِنَ السَّيْفِ الْمَسْلُولِ، وَالْقَوْسِ الْمُتَوَتِّرِ، وَمِنْ وَطِيسِ الْمَعْرَكَةِ.

16 For this is what the Lord says to me: “Within one year, as a hired worker would count it, all the glory of Kedar will be gone.

16 لأَنَّهُ هَذَا مَا قَالَهُ لِي الرَّبُّ: فِي غُضُونِ سَنَةٍ مَمَاثِلَةٍ لِسَنَةِ الأَجِيرِ يَفْنَى كُلُّ مَجْدِ قِيدَارَ،

17 The remaining archers, the warriors of Kedar, will be few.” For the LORD, the God of Israel, has spoken.

17 وَتَكُونُ بَقِيَّةُ الرُّمَاةِ، الأَبْطَالُ مِنْ أَبْنَاءِ قِيدَارَ، قِلَّةً. لأَنَّ الرَّبَّ إِلَهَ إِسْرَائِيلَ قَدْ تَكَلَّمَ.