Isaiah, 23

1. Proclamation about Tyre: Howl, ships of Tarshish, for all has been destroyed- no more houses, no way of getting in: the news has reached them from Kittim.

1. The oracle concerning Tyre. Wail, O ships of Tarshish, for Tyre is laid waste, without house or haven! From the land of Cyprus it is revealed to them.

2. Be struck dumb, inhabitants of the coast, you merchants of Sidon, whose messengers cross the sea

2. Be still, O inhabitants of the coast, O merchants of Sidon; your messengers passed over the sea

3. to the wide ocean. The grain of the Canal, the harvest of the Nile, formed her revenue. She was the market for the nations.

3. and were on many waters; your revenue was the grain of Shihor, the harvest of the Nile; you were the merchant of the nations.

4. Blush, Sidon (citadel of the seas), for this is what the sea has said, 'I have felt no birth-pangs, never given birth, never reared boys nor brought up girls.'

4. Be ashamed, O Sidon, for the sea has spoken, the stronghold of the sea, saying: "I have neither travailed nor given birth, I have neither reared young men nor brought up virgins."

5. When the news reaches Egypt, they will tremble to hear Tyre's fate.

5. When the report comes to Egypt, they will be in anguish over the report about Tyre.

6. Cross to Tarshish, howl, inhabitants of the coast.

6. Pass over to Tarshish, wail, O inhabitants of the coast!

7. Is this your proud city founded far back in the past, whose steps led her far afield to found her colonies?

7. Is this your exultant city whose origin is from days of old, whose feet carried her to settle afar?

8. Who took this decision against Tyre, who used to hand out crowns, whose traders were princes, whose merchants, men honoured in the city?

8. Who has purposed this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns, whose merchants were princes, whose traders were the honored of the earth?

9. Yahweh Sabaoth took this decision to wither the pride of all beauty and humiliate those honoured in the city.

9. The LORD of hosts has purposed it, to defile the pride of all glory, to dishonor all the honored of the earth.

10. Cultivate your country like the Delta, daughter of Tarshish, for your marine docks are no more.

10. Overflow your land like the Nile, O daughter of Tarshish; there is no restraint any more.

11. He has raised his hand against the sea, he has shaken kingdoms, Yahweh has ordained the destruction of the fortresses of Canaan.

11. He has stretched out his hand over the sea, he has shaken the kingdoms; the LORD has given command concerning Canaan to destroy its strongholds.

12. He has said, 'Exult no more, ill-treated virgin daughter of Sidon! Get up, cross to Kittim, no respite for you there, either.'

12. And he said: "You will no more exult, O oppressed virgin daughter of Sidon; arise, pass over to Cyprus, even there you will have no rest."

13. Look at the land of the Chaldaeans, a people who used not to exist! Assyria assigned it to the creatures of the wilds; they raised their siege-towers against it, demolished its bastions, reduced it to ruin.

13. Behold the land of the Chalde'ans! This is the people; it was not Assyria. They destined Tyre for wild beasts. They erected their siegetowers, they razed her palaces, they made her a ruin.

14. Howl, ships of Tarshish, for your fortress has been destroyed.

14. Wail, O ships of Tarshish, for your stronghold is laid waste.

15. When that day comes, Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years, the length of one king's life. But when the seventy years are over, Tyre will become like the whore in the song:

15. In that day Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years, like the days of one king. At the end of seventy years, it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the harlot:

16. 'Take your harp, walk the town, whore whom men have forgotten! Play sweetly, song after song, to make them remember you.'

16. "Take a harp, go about the city, O forgotten harlot! Make sweet melody, sing many songs, that you may be remembered."

17. At the end of the seventy years Yahweh will visit Tyre. She will receive her pay again and play the whore with all the kingdoms of the world on the surface of the earth.

17. At the end of seventy years, the LORD will visit Tyre, and she will return to her hire, and will play the harlot with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.

18. But her profits and wages will be dedicated to Yahweh. They will not be stored or hoarded, but her profits will go to those who live in Yahweh's presence, for them to have as much food as they want and splendid clothes.

18. Her merchandise and her hire will be dedicated to the LORD; it will not be stored or hoarded, but her merchandise will supply abundant food and fine clothing for those who dwell before the LORD.