Isaiah, 19

1. Proclamation about Egypt: Look! Yahweh, riding a swift cloud, is coming to Egypt. The false gods of Egypt totter before him and Egypt's heart quails within her.

1. An oracle concerning Egypt. Behold, the LORD is riding on a swift cloud and comes to Egypt; and the idols of Egypt will tremble at his presence, and the heart of the Egyptians will melt within them.

2. I shall stir up Egypt against Egypt, they will fight one another, brother against brother, friend against friend, city against city, kingdom against kingdom.

2. And I will stir up Egyptians against Egyptians, and they will fight, every man against his brother and every man against his neighbor, city against city, kingdom against kingdom;

3. Egypt's spirit will fail within her and I shall confound her deliberations. They will consult false gods and wizards, ghosts and sorcerers.

3. and the spirit of the Egyptians within them will be emptied out, and I will confound their plans; and they will consult the idols and the sorcerers, and the mediums and the wizards;

4. And I shall hand Egypt over to the clutches of a cruel master, a ruthless king will rule them -- declares Yahweh Sabaoth.

4. and I will give over the Egyptians into the hand of a hard master; and a fierce king will rule over them, says the Lord, the LORD of hosts.

5. The waters will ebb from the sea, the river will dry up and run low,

5. And the waters of the Nile will be dried up, and the river will be parched and dry;

6. the streams will become foul, the rivers of Egypt sink and dry up. Rush and reed will turn black,

6. and its canals will become foul, and the branches of Egypt's Nile will diminish and dry up, reeds and rushes will rot away.

7. the Nile-plants on the banks of the Nile; all the vegetation of the Nile, will wither, blow away and be no more.

7. There will be bare places by the Nile, on the brink of the Nile, and all that is sown by the Nile will dry up, be driven away, and be no more.

8. The fishermen will groan, it will be mourning for all who cast hook in the Nile; those who spread nets on the waters will lose heart.

8. The fishermen will mourn and lament, all who cast hook in the Nile; and they will languish who spread nets upon the water.

9. The workers of carded flax and the weavers of white cloth will be confounded,

9. The workers in combed flax will be in despair, and the weavers of white cotton.

10. the weavers dismayed, all the workmen dejected.

10. Those who are the pillars of the land will be crushed, and all who work for hire will be grieved.

11. Yes, the princes of Zoan are fools, Pharaoh's wisest councillors make up a stupid council. How dare you say to Pharaoh, 'I am descended from sages, I am descended from bygone kings'?

11. The princes of Zo'an are utterly foolish; the wise counselors of Pharaoh give stupid counsel. How can you say to Pharaoh, "I am a son of the wise, a son of ancient kings"?

12. Where are these sages of yours? Let them tell you, so that all may know, the plans Yahweh Sabaoth has made against Egypt!

12. Where then are your wise men? Let them tell you and make known what the LORD of hosts has purposed against Egypt.

13. The princes of Zoan are fools, the princes of Noph, self-deceivers, the top men of her provinces have led Egypt astray.

13. The princes of Zo'an have become fools, and the princes of Memphis are deluded; those who are the cornerstones of her tribes have led Egypt astray.

14. Yahweh has infused them with a giddy spirit; they have led Egypt astray in all she undertakes like a drunkard straying about as he vomits.

14. The LORD has mingled within her a spirit of confusion; and they have made Egypt stagger in all her doings as a drunken man staggers in his vomit.

15. Nowadays no one does for Egypt what top and tail, palm and reed used to do.

15. And there will be nothing for Egypt which head or tail, palm branch or reed, may do.

16. That day Egypt will be like women, trembling and terrified at the threatening hand of Yahweh Sabaoth, when he raises it against her.

16. In that day the Egyptians will be like women, and tremble with fear before the hand which the LORD of hosts shakes over them.

17. The land of Judah will become Egypt's shame; whenever she is reminded of it, she will be terrified, because of the plan which Yahweh Sabaoth has laid against her.

17. And the land of Judah will become a terror to the Egyptians; every one to whom it is mentioned will fear because of the purpose which the LORD of hosts has purposed against them.

18. That day in Egypt there will be five towns speaking the language of Canaan and pledging themselves to Yahweh Sabaoth; one of them will be called City of the Sun.

18. In that day there will be five cities in the land of Egypt which speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the LORD of hosts. One of these will be called the City of the Sun.

19. That day there will be an altar dedicated to Yahweh in the centre of Egypt and, close to the frontier, a pillar dedicated to Yahweh,

19. In that day there will be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the LORD at its border.

20. and this will be a sign and a witness to Yahweh Sabaoth in Egypt. When they cry to Yahweh for help because of oppressors, he will send them a Saviour and leader to deliver them.

20. It will be a sign and a witness to the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt; when they cry to the LORD because of oppressors he will send them a savior, and will defend and deliver them.

21. Yahweh will reveal himself to Egypt, and the Egyptians will acknowledge Yahweh that day and will offer sacrifices and cereal offerings, and will make vows to Yahweh and perform them.

21. And the LORD will make himself known to the Egyptians; and the Egyptians will know the LORD in that day and worship with sacrifice and burnt offering, and they will make vows to the LORD and perform them.

22. And if Yahweh strikes Egypt, having struck he will heal, and they will turn to Yahweh who will hear their prayers and heal them.

22. And the LORD will smite Egypt, smiting and healing, and they will return to the LORD, and he will heed their supplications and heal them.

23. That day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. Assyria will have access to Egypt and Egypt have access to Assyria. Egypt will serve with Assyria.

23. In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian will come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians.

24. That day Israel will make a third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing at the centre of the world,

24. In that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth,

25. and Yahweh Sabaoth will bless them in the words, 'Blessed be my people Egypt, Assyria my creation, and Israel my heritage.'

25. whom the LORD of hosts has blessed, saying, "Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my heritage."