Isaiah 21:1-17

Coverdale(i) 1 This is the heuy burthe of the waist see: A greuous visio was shewed vnto me, like as when a storme of wynde and rayne russheth in from the wyldernesse, that terrible londe. 2 Who so maye disceaue (sayde the voyce) let him disceaue: Who so maye distroye, let him distroye. Vp Elam, besege it o Madai, for I will still all their gronynges. 3 With this, the raynes of my backe were ful of payne: Panges came vpon me, as vpon a woman in hir trauayle. When I herde it, I was abasshed: and whe I loked vp, I was afrayde. 4 Myne herte paunted, I trembled for feare. The darcknesse made me fearfull in my mynde. 5 Yee soone make redy the table (sayde this voyce) kepe the watch, eate and drynke: Vp ye captaynes, take you to youre shylde, 6 for thus the LORDE hath charged me: go thy waye, and set a watchma, that he maye tell what he seyth. 7 And whe he had wayted diligetly, he sawe two horsmen: the one rydinge vpon an Asse, the other vpon a camel. 8 And the lyon cried: LORDE, I haue stonde waytinge all the whole daye, and haue kepte my watch all the night. 9 With yt came there one rydinge vpon a charet, which answered, and sayde Babilon is fallen, she is turned vpsyde downe, and all ye ymages of hir goddes are smytten to ye grounde. 10 This (o my felowe throsshers and fanners) haue I herde of the LORDE of hoostes the God of Israel, to shewe it vnto you. 11 The heuy burthen of Duma. One of Seir cried vnto me: watchman, what hast thou espied by night? Watchman, what hast thou espied by night? 12 The watchman answered: The daye breaketh on, and the night is comynge: Yf youre request be earnest, then axe, and come agayne. 13 The heuy burthen vpon Arabia. At euen ye shal abyde in the wod, in the waye toward Dedanim. 14 Mete the thurstie with water, (o ye citisens of Hema) mete those with bred that are fled. 15 For thei shal runne awaye from the weapen, from the drawe swerde, from the bet bowe, and from the greate batell. 16 For thus hath the LORDE spoken vnto me: ouer a yeare shal all the power of Cedar be gone, like as when the office of an hyred seruaunte goeth out: 17 And the remnaunt of the good Archers of Cedar, shalbe very few: For the LORDE God of Israel hath spoken it.