Bible in Basic English
The word about Edom. A voice comes to me from Seir, Watchman, how far gone is the night? how far gone is the night?
The watchman says, The morning has come, but night is still to come: if you have questions to put, put them, and come back again.
The word about Arabia. In the thick woods of Arabia will be your night's resting-place, O travelling bands of Dedanites!
Give water to him who is in need of water; give bread, O men of the land of Tema, to those in flight.
For they are in flight from the sharp sword, and the bent bow, and from the trouble of war.
For so has the Lord said to me, In a year, by the years of a servant working for payment, all the glory of Kedar will come to an end:
And the rest of the bowmen, the men of war of the children of Kedar, will be small in number: for the Lord, the God of Israel, has said it.
— Isaiah 21:11-1964, Bible in Basic English
“The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night? The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come. The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies of Dedanim. The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty, they prevented with their bread him that fled. For they fled from the swords, 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, according to the years of an hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail: And the residue of the number of archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be diminished: for the Lord God of Israel hath spoken it. ”
“ The burden of Dumah. One calleth unto me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night? The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will inquire, inquire ye: turn ye, come. The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye caravans of Dedanites. Unto him that was thirsty they brought water; the inhabitants of the land of Tema did meet the fugitives with their bread. For they fled away from the swords, 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, according to the years of a hireling, all the glory of Kedar shall fail; and the residue of the number of the archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be few; for Jehovah, the God of Israel, hath spoken it. ”
“The burden of Dumah. One calls to me out of Seir, "Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?" The watchman said, "The morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire. Come back again." The burden on Arabia. In the forest in Arabia you will lodge, you caravans of Dedanites. They brought water to him who was thirsty. The inhabitants of the land of Tema met the fugitives with their bread. For they fled away from the swords, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow, and from the heat of battle. For the Lord said to me, "Within a year, as a worker bound by contract would count it, all the glory of Kedar will fail, and the residue of the number of the archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, will be few; for Yahweh, the God of Israel, has spoken it."”
And the watchman gave a loud cry, O my lord, I am on the watchtower all day, and am placed in my watch every night:
See, here come war-carriages with men, horsemen by twos: and in answer he said, Babylon is made low, is made low, and all her images are broken on the earth.
O my crushed ones, the grain of my floor! I have given you the word which came to me from the Lord of armies, the God of Israel.
The word about Edom. A voice comes to me from Seir, Watchman, how far gone is the night? how far gone is the night?
The watchman says, The morning has come, but night is still to come: if you have questions to put, put them, and come back again.
The word about Arabia. In the thick woods of Arabia will be your night's resting-place, O travelling bands of Dedanites!
Give water to him who is in need of water; give bread, O men of the land of Tema, to those in flight.
For they are in flight from the sharp sword, and the bent bow, and from the trouble of war.
For so has the Lord said to me, In a year, by the years of a servant working for payment, all the glory of Kedar will come to an end:
And the rest of the bowmen, the men of war of the children of Kedar, will be small in number: for the Lord, the God of Israel, has said it.