¶ The burden¹ of the desert² of the sea. As whirlwinds³ in the south pass through; so it cometh from⁴ the desert, from a terrible land.

A grievous⁵ vision is declared unto me; the treacherous⁶ dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up⁷, O Elam: besiege, O Media; all the⁸ sighing thereof have I made to cease.

Therefore are⁹ my loins filled with pain: pangs have¹⁰ taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth: I was bowed¹¹ down at the hearing of it; I was dismayed at the seeing of it.

My heart panted¹², fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned¹³ into fear unto me.

Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat¹⁴, drink: arise¹⁵, ye princes, and anoint the shield.

For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go¹⁶, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.

And he saw¹⁷ a chariot with a couple of horsemen, a chariot of asses, and a chariot of camels; and he hearkened¹⁸ diligently with much heed:

And he cried, A lion¹⁹: My lord, I stand²⁰ continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights²¹:

And, behold,²² here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon²³ is fallen, is fallen; and all²⁴ the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground.

¶ O my threshing²⁵, and the corn²⁶ of my floor: that which I have heard of the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you.

¶ The burden of Dumah²⁷. He calleth to me out²⁸ of Seir, Watchman, what²⁹ of the night? Watchman, what of the night?

The watchman said, The morning³⁰ cometh, and also the night: if³¹ ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come.

¶ The burden upon Arabia³². In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye³³ travelling companies of Dedanim.

The inhabitants of the land of Tema³⁴ brought³⁵ water to him that was thirsty, they prevented with their bread him that fled.

For they fled from the swords³⁶, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.

For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Within a year, according³⁷ to the years of an hireling, and all the glory of Kedar³⁸ shall fail:

And the residue of the number of archers³⁹, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be diminished: for⁴⁰ the LORD God of Israel hath spoken it.