
TORAH
NEVI'IM
KETUVIM
Chapter 21
Translation and Transliteration of
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1The “Desert of the Sea” Pronouncement. Like the gales That race through the Negev, It comes from the desert, The terrible land.
ma-SA mid-BAR-yam ke-SU-fot ba-NE-gev la-cha-LOF mi-miD-BAR BA me-E-retz no-RA-a
אמַשָּׂ֖א מִדְבַּר־יָ֑ם כְּסוּפ֤וֹת בַּנֶּ֙גֶב֙ לַחֲלֹ֔ף מִמִּדְבָּ֣ר בָּ֔א מֵאֶ֖רֶץ נוֹרָאָֽה׃
2A harsh prophecy Has been announced to me: “The betrayer is betraying, The ravager ravaging. Advance, Elam! Lay siege, Media! I have put an end To all her sighing.”
kha-ZUT ka-SHA hu-GAD-LEE ha-BO-ged v'-ha-sho-DED al-EE e-LAM tzu-REE ma-DAI kol-an-kha-TAH hi-sh'BA-TEE
בחָז֥וּת קָשָׁ֖ה הֻגַּד־לִ֑י הַבּוֹגֵ֤ד ׀ בּוֹגֵד֙ וְהַשּׁוֹדֵ֣ד ׀ שׁוֹדֵ֔ד עֲלִ֤י עֵילָם֙ צוּרִ֣י מָדַ֔י כׇּל־אַנְחָתָ֖הֿ הִשְׁבַּֽתִּי׃
3Therefore my loins Are seized with trembling; I am gripped by pangs Like a woman in travail, Too anguished to hear, Too frightened to see.
al-KEN mal-U mot-NAI khal-kha-LAH tzi-REEM a-kha-ZU-nee k'-tzi-REI yo-le-DAH na-a-VEE-tee mi-she-MO-a ni-v'-HAL-tee me-re-OT
געַל־כֵּ֗ן מָלְא֤וּ מׇתְנַי֙ חַלְחָלָ֔ה צִירִ֣ים אֲחָז֔וּנִי כְּצִירֵ֖י יוֹלֵדָ֑ה נַעֲוֵ֣יתִי מִשְּׁמֹ֔עַ נִבְהַ֖לְתִּי מֵרְאֽוֹת׃
4My mind is confused, I shudder in panic. My night of pleasure He has turned to terror:
ta-AH l'-va-VEE pa-LA-tzut bi-a-ta-TA-nee, AYT NE-shef kheesh-KEE sam LEE la-kha-ra-DAH
דתָּעָ֣ה לְבָבִ֔י פַּלָּצ֖וּת בִּֽעֲתָ֑תְנִי אֵ֚ת נֶ֣שֶׁף חִשְׁקִ֔י שָׂ֥ם לִ֖י לַחֲרָדָֽה׃
5“Set the table!” To “Let the watchman watch!” “Eat and drink!” To “Up, officers! Grease the shields!”
a-ROKH ha-shul-KHAN tza-FOH ha-tza-FEET a-KHOL sha-TOH KU-mu ha-sa-REEM mish-KHU ma-GAYN
העָרֹ֧ךְ הַשֻּׁלְחָ֛ן צָפֹ֥ה הַצָּפִ֖ית אָכ֣וֹל שָׁתֹ֑ה ק֥וּמוּ הַשָּׂרִ֖ים מִשְׁח֥וּ מָגֵֽן׃
21:5 Eat and drink
Yeshayahu relays another prophecy directed towards Babylon. Since their country is protected by watchmen, its nobles eat, oblivious to the danger that approaches. Their dining, however, is interrupted with the call to battle. The fulfillment of Yeshayahu‘s prophecy is described in Sefer Daniel 5, which depicts the capture of Babylon as its inhabitants are engaged in revelry at Belshazzar’s feast. To Yehuda, which looks for allies against the Assyrian threat, Yeshayahu reiterates that Babylon’s time is also limited. The surest guarantee of safety is trust in Hashem alone.
6For thus my Lord said to me: “Go, set up a sentry; Let him announce what he sees.
ki-KHO a-MAR e-LAI a-do-NAI lekh ha-a-MED ha-m'-TSA-peh a-SHER yir-EH ya-GID
וכִּ֣י כֹ֥ה אָמַ֛ר אֵלַ֖י אֲדֹנָ֑י לֵ֚ךְ הַֽעֲמֵ֣ד הַֽמְצַפֶּ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִרְאֶ֖ה יַגִּֽיד׃
7He will see mounted men, Horsemen in pairs— Riders on asses, Riders on camels— And he will listen closely, Most attentively.”
v'-RA-a RE-khev tze-MED pa-RA-SHEEM RE-khev kha-MOR RE-khev ga-MAL v'-hik-SHEEV KE-shev rav-KA-shev
זוְרָ֣אָה רֶ֗כֶב צֶ֚מֶד פָּרָשִׁ֔ים רֶ֥כֶב חֲמ֖וֹר רֶ֣כֶב גָּמָ֑ל וְהִקְשִׁ֥יב קֶ֖שֶׁב רַב־קָֽשֶׁב׃
8And [like] a lion he called out: “On my Lord's lookout I stand Ever by day, And at my post I watch Every night.
vai-YIK-ra a-RAY a-l'-mitz-PEH a-do-NAI a-NO-khi o-MED ta-MEED yo-MAM v'-al mish-mar-TEE a-NO-khi ni-TZAV kol ha-LEI-loht
חוַיִּקְרָ֖א אַרְיֵ֑ה עַל־מִצְפֶּ֣ה ׀ אֲדֹנָ֗י אָנֹכִ֞י עֹמֵ֤ד תָּמִיד֙ יוֹמָ֔ם וְעַ֨ל־מִשְׁמַרְתִּ֔י אָנֹכִ֥י נִצָּ֖ב כׇּל־הַלֵּילֽוֹת׃
9And there they come, mounted men— Horsemen in pairs!” Then he spoke up and said, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon, And all the images of her gods Have crashed to the ground!”
v'-hi-NEH ZEH va, RE-khev EESH tze-MED pa-RA-sheem, va-YA-an va-YO-mer, na-F'-LAH na-F'-LAH ba-VEL, v'-KOL p'-see-LAY e-lo-HE-ha shi-BAR la-A-retz.
טוְהִנֵּה־זֶ֥ה בָא֙ רֶ֣כֶב אִ֔ישׁ צֶ֖מֶד פָּרָשִׁ֑ים וַיַּ֣עַן וַיֹּ֗אמֶר נָפְלָ֤ה נָֽפְלָה֙ בָּבֶ֔ל וְכׇל־פְּסִילֵ֥י אֱלֹהֶ֖יהָ שִׁבַּ֥ר לָאָֽרֶץ׃
10My threshing, the product of my threshing floor: What I have heard from the lord of Hosts, The God of Yisrael— That I have told to you.
m'-du-sha-TEE u-ven go-r'-NEE a-SHER sha-MA-tee may-AYT a-do-NAI t'-va-OT e-lo-HAY yis-ra-AYL hi-GAD-tee la-KHEM
ימְדֻשָׁתִ֖י וּבֶן־גׇּרְנִ֑י אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָׁמַ֗עְתִּי מֵאֵ֨ת יְהֹוָ֧ה צְבָא֛וֹת אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל הִגַּ֥דְתִּי לָכֶֽם׃
11The “Dumah” Pronouncement. A call comes to me from Seir: “Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?”
ma-SA du-MAH e-LAI ko-RE mish-AYR sho-MER mah mi-LAI-la sho-MER mah mi-LEEL
יאמַשָּׂ֖א דּוּמָ֑ה אֵלַי֙ קֹרֵ֣א מִשֵּׂעִ֔יר שֹׁמֵר֙ מַה־מִּלַּ֔יְלָה שֹׁמֵ֖ר מַה־מִּלֵּֽיל׃
12The watchman replied, “Morning came, and so did night. If you would inquire, inquire. Come back again.”
a-MAR sho-MER a-TAH vo-KER v'-gam-la-y'-LAH, im-tiv-a-YUN b'-a-YU shu-VU ay-TA-yu.
יבאָמַ֣ר שֹׁמֵ֔ר אָתָ֥ה בֹ֖קֶר וְגַם־לָ֑יְלָה אִם־תִּבְעָי֥וּן בְּעָ֖יוּ שֻׁ֥בוּ אֵתָֽיוּ׃
13The “In the Steppe” Pronouncement. In the scrub, in the steppe, you will lodge, O caravans of the Dedanites!
ma-SA ba-a-RAV, ba-YA-ar ba-a-RAV ta-LEE-nu o-r'-KHOT d'-da-NIM
יגמַשָּׂ֖א בַּעְרָ֑ב בַּיַּ֤עַר בַּעְרַב֙ תָּלִ֔ינוּ אֹרְח֖וֹת דְּדָנִֽים׃
14Meet the thirsty with water, You who dwell in the land of Tema; Greet the fugitive with bread.
li-k'-RAT tza-MAY he-TA-yu MA-yim yo-SHE-vay E-retz TEY-ma b'-lakh-MO ki-D'-mu no-DAYD
ידלִקְרַ֥את צָמֵ֖א הֵתָ֣יוּ מָ֑יִם יֹֽשְׁבֵי֙ אֶ֣רֶץ תֵּימָ֔א בְּלַחְמ֖וֹ קִדְּמ֥וּ נֹדֵֽד׃
15For they have fled before swords: Before the whetted sword, Before the bow that was drawn, Before the stress of war.
ki-mi-p'-NAY kha-ra-VOT na-DA-du, mi-p'-NAY khe-REV ne-tu-SHA, u-mi-p'-NAY KE-shet d'-ru-KHA, u-mi-p'-NAY ko-VED mil-kha-MAH. (Selah)
טוכִּֽי־מִפְּנֵ֥י חֲרָב֖וֹת נָדָ֑דוּ מִפְּנֵ֣י ׀ חֶ֣רֶב נְטוּשָׁ֗ה וּמִפְּנֵי֙ קֶ֣שֶׁת דְּרוּכָ֔ה וּמִפְּנֵ֖י כֹּ֥בֶד מִלְחָמָֽה׃
16For thus my Lord has said to me: “In another year, fixed like the years of a hired laborer, all the multitude of Kedar shall vanish;
ki-KHO a-MAR a-do-NAI e-LAI b'-OD sha-NAH ki-sh'-NAY sa-KHEER v'-kha-LAH kol-k'-VOD kay-DAR
טזכִּי־כֹ֛ה אָמַ֥ר אֲדֹנָ֖י אֵלָ֑י בְּע֤וֹד שָׁנָה֙ כִּשְׁנֵ֣י שָׂכִ֔יר וְכָלָ֖ה כׇּל־כְּב֥וֹד קֵדָֽר׃
17the remaining bows of Kedar's warriors shall be few in number; for Hashem, the God of Yisrael, has spoken.
u-sh'-AR mis-par-KE-shet gi-BO-rei v'-nay KE-dar yim-a-TU, KEE a-do-NAI e-lo-HEI yis-ra-AYL di-BER.
יזוּשְׁאָ֧ר מִסְפַּר־קֶ֛שֶׁת גִּבּוֹרֵ֥י בְנֵֽי־קֵדָ֖ר יִמְעָ֑טוּ כִּ֛י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל דִּבֵּֽר׃