1750 Challoner Revision of the Douay-Rheims (DR)

Isaiah 21

1 The prophet, bewailing the captivity of his people, seeth in a vision the fall of Babylon by the Medes and Persians. 11 Edom, scorning the prophet, is moved to repentance. 13 The set time of Arabia's calamity.

 21:1 ¶ The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds come from the south, it cometh from the desert from a terrible land.

 21:2 A grievous vision is told me: he that is unfaithful dealeth unfaithfully: and he that is a spoiler, spoileth. Go up, O Elam, besiege, O Mede: I have made all the mourning thereof to cease.

 21:3 Therefore are my loins filled with pain, anguish hath taken hold of me, as the anguish of a woman in labour: I fell down at the hearing of it, I was troubled at the seeing of it.

 21:4 My heart failed, darkness amazed me: Babylon my beloved is become a wonder to me.

 21:5 Prepare the table, behold in the watchtower them that eat and drink: arise, ye princes, take up the shield.

 21:6 For thus hath the Lord said to me: Go, and set a watchman: and whatsoever he shall see, let him tell.

 21:7 And he saw a chariot with two horsemen, a rider upon an ass, and a rider upon a camel: and he beheld them diligently with much heed.

 21:8 And a lion cried out: I am upon the watchtower of the Lord, standing continually by day: and I am upon my ward, standing whole nights.

 21:9 Behold this man cometh, the rider upon the chariot with two horsemen, and he answered, and said: Babylon is fallen, she is fallen, and all the graven gods thereof are broken unto the ground.

 21:10 O my thrashing, and the children of my floor, that which I have heard of the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, I have declared unto you.

 21:11 ¶ The burden of Duma calleth to me out of Seir: Watchman, what of the night? watchman, what of the night?

 21:12 The watchman said: The morning cometh, also the night: if you seek, seek: return, come.

 21:13 ¶ The burden in Arabia. In the forest at evening you shall sleep, in the paths of Dedanim.

 21:14 Meeting the thirsty bring him water, you that inhabit the land of the south, meet with bread him that fleeth.

 21:15 For they are fled from before the swords, from the sword that hung over them, from the bent bow, from the face of a grievous battle.

 21:16 For thus saith the Lord to me: Within a year, according to the years of a hireling, all the glory of Cedar shall be taken away.

 21:17 And the residue of the number of strong archers of the children of Cedar shall be diminished: for the Lord the God of Israel hath spoken it.