| English Standard Version | King James Bible |
| 1The oracle concerning the wilderness of the sea. As whirlwinds in the Negeb sweep on, it comes from the wilderness, from a terrible land. | 1The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south pass through; so it cometh from the desert, from a terrible land. |
| 2A stern vision is told to me; the traitor betrays, and the destroyer destroys. Go up, O Elam; lay siege, O Media; all the sighing she has caused I bring to an end. | 2A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease. |
| 3Therefore my loins are filled with anguish; pangs have seized me, like the pangs of a woman in labor; I am bowed down so that I cannot hear; I am dismayed so that I cannot see. | 3Therefore are my loins filled with pain: pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth: I was bowed down at the hearing of it; I was dismayed at the seeing of it. |
| 4My heart staggers; horror has appalled me; the twilight I longed for has been turned for me into trembling. | 4My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me. |
| 5They prepare the table, they spread the rugs, they eat, they drink. Arise, O princes; oil the shield! | 5Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield. |
| 6For thus the Lord said to me: “Go, set a watchman; let him announce what he sees. | 6For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth. |
| 7When he sees riders, horsemen in pairs, riders on donkeys, riders on camels, let him listen diligently, very diligently.” | 7And he saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen, a chariot of asses, and a chariot of camels; and he hearkened diligently with much heed: |
| 8Then he who saw cried out: “Upon a watchtower I stand, O Lord, continually by day, and at my post I am stationed whole nights. | 8And he cried, A lion: My lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights: |
| 9And behold, here come riders, horsemen in pairs!” And he answered, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the carved images of her gods he has shattered to the ground.” | 9And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground. |
| 10O my threshed and winnowed one, what I have heard from the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, I announce to you. | 10O my threshing, and the corn of my floor: that which I have heard of the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you. |
| 11The oracle concerning Dumah. One is calling to me from Seir, “Watchman, what time of the night? Watchman, what time of the night?” | 11The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night? |
| 12The watchman says: “Morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire; come back again.” | 12The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will inquire, inquire ye: return, come. |
| 13The oracle concerning Arabia. In the thickets in Arabia you will lodge, O caravans of Dedanites. | 13The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies of Dedanim. |
| 14To the thirsty bring water; meet the fugitive with bread, O inhabitants of the land of Tema. | 14The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty, they prevented with their bread him that fled. |
| 15For they have fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow, and from the press of battle. | 15For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war. |
| 16For thus the Lord said to me, “Within a year, according to the years of a hired worker, all the glory of Kedar will come to an end. | 16For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Within a year, according to the years of an hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail: |
| 17And the remainder of the archers of the mighty men of the sons of Kedar will be few, for the LORD, the God of Israel, has spoken.” | 17And the residue of the number of archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be diminished: for the LORD God of Israel hath spoken it. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com. |
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