1 The oracle of the wilderness of the sea: As storm winds passing over in the Negev, it comes from the desert, from a frightful land.
2 A hard revelation is told to me; the treacherous deals treacherously, and the destroyer destroys. Go up, Elam; lay siege, Media! I put an end to all of her sighing.
3 Therefore my loins are filled with anguish; pangs have seized me, like the pangs of a woman giving birth. I am too bent to hear, I am too dismayed to see.
4 My mind staggers; fear terrifies me; the twilight I desired brought me fear.
5 Set out the table in order! Spread out the rugs! Eat! drink! Rise up, commanders; smear the shield!
6 For the Lord said this to me: “Go, set a watchman in position. He must announce what he sees.
7 When he sees riders, a pair of horsemen, riders of donkeys, riders of camels, then he must listen attentively, paying attention, paying special attention.”
8 Then the watchman called, “Lord, I am standing on the watchtower continually by day, and I am standing at my post throughout the night.
9 And look at this! A man’s a chariot is coming, a pair of horsemen!” Then he responded and said, “It has fallen! Babylon has fallen! And all the images of her gods are smashed on the ground!”
10 My downtrodden people and the son of my threshing floor, I will announce to you what I have heard from Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel.
11 The oracle of Dumah: One is calling to me from Seir, “Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?”
12 The watchman says, “Morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire; come back again.”
13 An oracle concerning Arabia: You will spend the night in the thicket in a desert-plateau, caravans of Dedanites.
14 When you happen to meet the thirsty, bring water. Inhabitants of the land of Tema came to meet the fugitive with his bread.
15 For they have fled from the swords, from the drawn sword and the bent bow, and from the heaviness of the battle.
16 For the Lord said this to me: “In one more year, like the years of a hired worker, all the glory of Kedar will come to an end.
17 And the remainder of the number of the bows of the warriors of the sons of Kedar will be few.” For Yahweh, the God of Israel, has spoken.