The Fall of Babylonia
1 This is a message about a desert beside the sea:
Enemies from a hostile nation
attack like a whirlwind
from the Southern Desert.
2 What a horrible vision
was shown to me—
a vision of betrayal
and destruction.
Tell Elam and Media
to surround and attack
the Babylonians.
The Lord has sworn to end
the suffering they caused.
3 I'm in terrible pain
like a woman giving birth.
I'm shocked and hurt so much
that I can't hear or see.
4 My head spins; I'm horrified!
Early evening, my favorite time,
has become a nightmare.
5 In Babylon the high officials
were having a feast.
They were eating and drinking,
when someone shouted,
“Officers, take your places!
Grab your shields.”
6 The Lord said to me,
“Send guards
to find out
what's going on.
7 When they see cavalry troops
and columns of soldiers
on donkeys and camels,
tell them to be ready!”
8 Then a guard said,
“I have stood day and night
on this watchtower, Lord.
9 Now I see column after column
of cavalry troops.”
At once someone shouted,
“Babylon has fallen!
Every idol in the city
lies broken on the ground.”
10 Then I said, “My people,
you have suffered terribly,
but I have a message for you
from the Lord All-Powerful,
the God of Israel.”
How Much Longer?
11 This is a message about Dumah:
From the country of Seir,
someone shouts to me,
“Guard, how much longer
before daylight?”
12 From my guard post, I answered,
“Morning will soon be here,
but night will return.
If you want to know more,
come back later.”
13 This is a message for Arabs who live in the barren desert in the region of Dedan:
You must order your caravans
14 to bring water for those
who are thirsty.
You people of Tema
must bring food
for the hungry refugees.
15 They are worn out and weary
from being chased by enemies
with swords and arrows.
16 The Lord said to me:
A year from now the glory of the people of Kedar will all come to an end, just as a worker's contract ends after a year. 17 Only a few of their warriors will be left with bows and arrows. This is a promise that I, the Lord God of Israel, have made.
Okutekapo kwaBabilon
1 Ndika ehunganeko tali hunganeke Babilon.
Ngashika iikungulumbepo tayi zi kombuga kuumbugantu, osho omuponokeli ta ziilile kombuga, koshilongo oshitilithi. 2 Ondu ulukilwa emoniko lyiiningwanima iitilithi, emoniko lyomahanagulo.
Matukila, Elam! Media, ninga ekondeka! Kalunga ota ka hulitha po omahepeko ngoka ge etwa kuBabilon.
3 Shoka nda mono nondu uvu memoniko, osha halutha ndje noonkondo, nuuwehame owa kwata ndje wa fa uudhigu womukulukadhi ta thetwa. 4 Omwenyo gwandje otagu nuka mo. Otandi kakama kuumbanda. Onda hala ku toke, ihe ewiwilo otali gelelitha ndje.
5 Memoniko iitaafula tayi yalwa, aayenda ya kuutumbe. Otaa li yo taa nu. Ohaluka taku igidhwa: “Oondjayi, yambukeni! Longekidheni omahuuyanza!”
6 Omuwa okwa lombwele ndje a ti: “Inda u ka langeke omupekapeki; na hokolole shoka ta mono. 7 Ngele ta mono aantu taa ya momusholondondo gwooyaali nooyaali ya kayila uukambe, uusino noongamelo, oku na oku ya ndhindhilika nawa.”
8 Omupekapeki okwi igidha: “Tatekulu, onda thikama pomalangelo uusiku nomutenya.”
9 Ohaluka, oyo mbeya taa ya! Aalumentu ya kayila uukambe ooyaali nooyaali. Omupekapeki okwa popi onkundana ta ti: “Babilon osha teka po! Iimenka ayihe mbyoka ya li haa simaneke, oya tatulilwa pevi.”
10 Aantu yandje Aaisraeli, ne omwa yungulwa mwa fa iilya, ihe ngashingeyi onde mu tomonene onkundana ombwanawa ndjoka ndu uvu kOmuwa Omunankondoawike, Kalunga kaIsrael.
Edom ta hunganekwa
11 Ndika ehunganeko tali popi Edom
Omuntu gumwe okwi ithana ndje e li muSeir a ti: “Mulangeli, uusiku otau hulu po uunake? Mulangeli, uusiku otau hulu po uunake?”
12 Omulangeli okwa yamukula: “Ongula otayi shi, nonando inaku yela natango. Ngele omwa hala okupula ishewe, galukeni.”
Arabia tashi hunganekwa
13 Ndika ehunganeko tali popi Arabia.
Aantu ne yomuDedan, mboka mu na ontanda yiiyendo mombuga yaArabia, 14 gandjeni omeya kaasinota mboka taa ya kune. Aantu ne yomoshilongo Tema, peni oontauki iikulya. 15 Aantu otaa kukuma taa fadhuka po omagongamwele ngoka tage ya dhipaga nokuli, otaa yi ontuku omatati ngoka tage ya yaha nokuli, otaa yi ontuku yiita.
16 Omuwa okwa lombwele ndje a ti: “Omumvo gumwe nge gwa piti po — ngashika omumvo gwondhalate yomuunguli — esimano alihe lyaKedar otali hulu po. 17 Aashona ayeke yomoondjumbeta oofule dhaKedar taa ka hupa ko. Ongame, Omuwa Kalunga kaIsrael, nde dhi popi.”
