1 מַשָּׂא מִדְבַּר־יָם כְּסוּפֹות בַּנֶּגֶב לַחֲלֹף מִמִּדְבָּר בָּא מֵאֶרֶץ נֹורָאָה | 1 The burden of the desert of the sea. Just as the whirlwinds approach from Africa, it approaches from the desert, from a terrible land. |
2 חָזוּת קָשָׁה הֻגַּד־לִי הַבֹּוגֵד ׀ בֹּוגֵד וְהַשֹּׁודֵד ׀ שֹׁודֵד עֲלִי עֵילָם צוּרִי מָדַי כָּל־אַנְחָתָה הִשְׁבַּתִּי | 2 A difficult vision has been announced to me: he who is unbelieving, he acts unfaithfully, and he who is a plunderer, he devastates. Ascend, O Elam! Lay siege, O Media! I have caused all its mourning to cease. |
3 עַל־כֵּן מָלְאוּ מָתְנַי חַלְחָלָה צִירִים אֲחָזוּנִי כְּצִירֵי יֹולֵדָה נַעֲוֵיתִי מִשְּׁמֹעַ נִבְהַלְתִּי מֵרְאֹות | 3 Because of this, my lower back has been filled with pain, and anguish has possessed me, like the anguish of a woman in labor. I fell down when I heard it. I was disturbed when I saw it. |
4 תָּעָה לְבָבִי פַּלָּצוּת בִּעֲתָתְנִי אֵת נֶשֶׁף חִשְׁקִי שָׂם לִי לַחֲרָדָה | 4 My heart withered. The darkness stupefied me. Babylon, my beloved, has become a wonder to me. |
5 עָרֹךְ הַשֻּׁלְחָן צָפֹה הַצָּפִית אָכֹול שָׁתֹה קוּמוּ הַשָּׂרִים מִשְׁחוּ מָגֵן׃ פ | 5 Prepare the table. Contemplate, from a place of observation, those who eat and drink. Rise up, you leaders! Take up the shield! |
6 כִּי כֹה אָמַר אֵלַי אֲדֹנָי לֵךְ הַעֲמֵד הַמְצַפֶּה אֲשֶׁר יִרְאֶה יַגִּיד | 6 For the Lord has said this to me: “Go and station a watchman. And let him announce whatever he will see.” |
7 וְרָאָה רֶכֶב צֶמֶד פָּרָשִׁים רֶכֶב חֲמֹור רֶכֶב גָּמָל וְהִקְשִׁיב קֶשֶׁב רַב־קָשֶׁב | 7 And he saw a chariot with two horsemen, and a rider on an donkey, and a rider on a camel. And he considered them diligently, with an intense gaze. |
8 וַיִּקְרָא אַרְיֵה עַל־מִצְפֶּה ׀ אֲדֹנָי אָנֹכִי עֹמֵד תָּמִיד יֹומָם וְעַל־מִשְׁמַרְתִּי אָנֹכִי נִצָּב כָּל־הַלֵּילֹות | 8 And a lion cried out: “I am on the watchtower of the Lord, standing continually by day. And I am at my station, standing throughout the night. |
9 וְהִנֵּה־זֶה בָא רֶכֶב אִישׁ צֶמֶד פָּרָשִׁים וַיַּעַן וַיֹּאמֶר נָפְלָה נָפְלָה בָּבֶל וְכָל־פְּסִילֵי אֱלֹהֶיהָ שִׁבַּר לָאָרֶץ | 9 Behold, a certain man approaches, a man riding on a two-horse chariot.” And he responded, and he said: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon! And all its graven gods have been crushed into the earth! |
10 מְדֻשָׁתִי וּבֶן־גָּרְנִי אֲשֶׁר שָׁמַעְתִּי מֵאֵת יְהוָה צְבָאֹות אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הִגַּדְתִּי לָכֶם׃ ס | 10 O my threshed grain! O sons of my threshing floor! What I have heard from the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, I have announced to you.” |
11 מַשָּׂא דּוּמָה אֵלַי קֹרֵא מִשֵּׂעִיר שֹׁמֵר מַה־מִלַּיְלָה שֹׁמֵר מַה־מִלֵּיל | 11 The burden of Dumah, cried out to me from Seir: “Watchman, how goes the night? Watchman, how goes the night?” |
12 אָמַר שֹׁמֵר אָתָה בֹקֶר וְגַם־לָיְלָה אִם־תִּבְעָיוּן בְּעָיוּ שֻׁבוּ אֵתָיוּ׃ ס | 12 The watchman said: “Morning approaches with the night. If you are seeking: seek, and convert, and approach.” |
13 מַשָּׂא בַּעְרָב בַּיַּעַר בַּעְרַב תָּלִינוּ אֹרְחֹות דְּדָנִים | 13 The burden in Arabia. In the forest you shall sleep, in the evening on the paths of Dedanim. |
14 לִקְרַאת צָמֵא הֵתָיוּ מָיִם יֹשְׁבֵי אֶרֶץ תֵּימָא בְּלַחְמֹו קִדְּמוּ נֹדֵד | 14 You who inhabit the land of the south: upon meeting the thirsty, bring water; meet the fugitive with bread. |
15 כִּי־מִפְּנֵי חֲרָבֹות נָדָדוּ מִפְּנֵי ׀ חֶרֶב נְטוּשָׁה וּמִפְּנֵי קֶשֶׁת דְּרוּכָה וּמִפְּנֵי כֹּבֶד מִלְחָמָה׃ ס | 15 For they are fleeing before the face of swords, before the face of a sword hanging over them, before the face of a bent bow, before the face of a grievous battle. |
16 כִּי־כֹה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי אֵלָי בְּעֹוד שָׁנָה כִּשְׁנֵי שָׂכִיר וְכָלָה כָּל־כְּבֹוד קֵדָר | 16 For the Lord said this to me: “After one more year, just like one year for a hired hand, all the glory of Kedar will be taken away. |
17 וּשְׁאָר מִסְפַּר־קֶשֶׁת גִּבֹּורֵי בְנֵי־קֵדָר יִמְעָטוּ כִּי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל דִּבֵּר׃ ס | 17 And the remainder of the multitude of strong archers from the sons of Kedar will be few, for the Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken it.” |