1. This message came to me concerning Babylon—the desert by the sea:Disaster is roaring down on you from the desert,like a whirlwind sweeping in from the Negev.
2. I see a terrifying vision:I see the betrayer betraying,the destroyer destroying.Go ahead, you Elamites and Medes,attack and lay siege.I will make an endto all the groaning Babylon caused.
3. My stomach aches and burns with pain.Sharp pangs of anguish are upon me,like those of a woman in labor.I grow faint when I hear what God is planning;I am too afraid to look.
4. My mind reels and my heart races.I longed for evening to come,but now I am terrified of the dark.
5. Look! They are preparing a great feast.They are spreading rugs for people to sit on.Everyone is eating and drinking.But quick! Grab your shields and prepare for battle.You are being attacked!
6. Meanwhile, the Lord said to me,“Put a watchman on the city wall.Let him shout out what he sees.