15 But my brothers are as undependable as intermittent streams,

as the streams that overflow

16 when darkened by thawing ice

and swollen with melting snow,

17 but that stop flowing in the dry season,

and in the heat vanish from their channels.

18 Caravans turn aside from their routes;

they go off into the wasteland and perish.

19 The caravans of Tema look for water,

the traveling merchants of Sheba look in hope.

20 They are distressed, because they had been confident;

they arrive there, only to be disappointed.

15 My brothers are treacherous as a torrent-bed,

as torrential streams that pass away,

16 which are dark with ice,

and where the snow hides itself.

17 When they melt, they disappear;

when it is hot, they vanish from their place.

18 The caravans turn aside from their course;

they go up into the waste and perish.

19 The caravans of Tema look,

the travelers of Sheba hope.

20 They are ashamed because they were confident;

they come there and are disappointed.

15 My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, And as the stream of brooks they pass away; 16 Which are blackish by reason of the ice, And wherein the snow is hid: 17 What time they wax warm, they vanish: When it is hot, they are consumed out of their place. 18 The paths of their way are turned aside; They go to nothing, and perish. 19 The troops of Tema looked, The companies of Sheba waited for them. 20 They were confounded because they had hoped; They came thither, and were ashamed.

15 My brothers, you have proved as unreliable as a seasonal brook

that overflows its banks in the spring

16 when it is swollen with ice and melting snow.

17 But when the hot weather arrives, the water disappears.

The brook vanishes in the heat.

18 The caravans turn aside to be refreshed,

but there is nothing to drink, so they die.

19 The caravans from Tema search for this water;

the travelers from Sheba hope to find it.

20 They count on it but are disappointed.

When they arrive, their hopes are dashed.

15 My brothers have dealt deceitfully like a brook,

Like the streams of the brooks that pass away,

16 Which are dark because of the ice,

And into which the snow vanishes.

17 When it is warm, they cease to flow;

When it is hot, they vanish from their place.

18 The paths of their way turn aside,

They go nowhere and perish.

19 The caravans of Tema look,

The travelers of Sheba hope for them.

20 They are disappointed because they were confident;

They come there and are confused.

15 But my brothers cannot be counted on.

They are like streams that do not always flow,

streams that sometimes run over.

16 They are made dark by melting ice

and rise with melting snow.

17 But they stop flowing in the dry season;

they disappear when it is hot.

18 Travelers turn away from their paths

and go into the desert and die.

19 The groups of travelers from Tema look for water,

and the traders of Sheba look hopefully.

20 They are upset because they had been sure;

when they arrive, they are disappointed.

15 My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook,

As the channel of brooks that pass away;

16 Which are black by reason of the ice,

And wherein the snow hideth itself:

17 What time they wax warm, they vanish;

When it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.

18 The caravans that travel by the way of them turn aside;

They go up into the waste, and perish.

19 The caravans of Tema looked,

The companies of Sheba waited for them.

20 They were put to shame because they had hoped;

They came thither, and were confounded.

15 My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a stream, as the channel of streams which pass away, 16 Which are turbid by reason of the ice, in which the snow hideth itself: 17 At the time they diminish, they are dried up; when heat affecteth them, they vanish from their place: 18 They wind about in the paths of their course, they go off into the waste and perish. 19 The caravans of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba counted on them: 20 They are ashamed at their hope; they come thither, and are confounded.

15 My brothers have been as deceptive as seasonal rivers, 

like the seasonal riverbeds that flood. 

16 They are dark with ice. 

They are hidden by snow. 

17 They vanish during a scorching summer. 

In the heat their riverbeds dry up. 

18 They change their course. 

They go into a wasteland and disappear. 

19 Caravans from Tema look for them. 

Travelers from Sheba search for them. 

20 They are ashamed because they relied on the streams. 

Arriving there, they are disappointed. 

15 My brothers are as treacherous as a wadi,

as seasonal streams that overflow

16 and become darkened because of ice,

and the snow melts into them.

17 The wadis evaporate in warm weather;

they disappear from their channels in hot weather.

18 Caravans turn away from their routes,

go up into the desert, and perish.

19 The caravans of Tema look for these streams.

The traveling merchants of Sheba hope for them.

20 They are ashamed because they had been confident of finding water.

When they arrive there, they are frustrated.

15 My companions are treacherous like a torrent-bed,

like freshets that pass away,

16 that run dark with ice,

turbid with melting snow.

17 In time of heat they disappear;

when it is hot, they vanish from their place.

18 The caravans turn aside from their course;

they go up into the waste, and perish.

19 The caravans of Tema look,

the travelers of Sheba hope.

20 They are disappointed because they were confident;

they come there and are confounded.

15 My companions are treacherous like a torrent-bed;

like a streambed of wadis they flow away,

16 which are growing dark because of ice upon them,

it will pile up snow.

17 In time they dry up, they disappear;

when it is hot, they vanish from their place.

18 The paths of their way wind around;

they go up into the wasteland, and they perish.

19 The caravans of Tema looked;

the traveling merchants of Sheba hope for them.

20 They are disappointed, because they trusted;

they came here and they are confounded.

15 But my friends aren’t faithful to me.

They are like streams that only flow for part of the year.

They are like rivers that flow over their banks

16 when the ice begins to break up.

The streams rise when the snow starts to melt.

17 But they stop flowing when the dry season comes.

They disappear from their stream beds when the weather warms up.

18 Groups of traders turn away from their usual paths.

They go up into the dry and empty land.

And they die there.

19 Traders from Tema look for water.

Traveling merchants from Sheba also hope to find it.

20 They become troubled because they had expected to find some.

But when they arrive at the stream beds,

they don’t find any water at all.