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 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.