Isaiah 23

1 The burden of Tyre. Howl, you ships of Tarshish! For it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in. From the land of Kittim it is revealed to them.

The doom of Tyre. Wail, ye ships of Tharshish; for it is laid waste, without house, without entrance: from the land of Kittim hath it been revealed to them.

2 Be still, you inhabitants of the coast, you whom the merchants of Sidon that pass over the sea have replenished.

Be silent, ye inhabitants of the coast-land: the merchants of Zidon, that pass over the sea [formerly] filled thee.

3 On great waters, the seed of the Shihor, the harvest of the Nile, was her revenue. She was the market of nations.

And on mighty waters [came] the seed of Shichor, the harvest of the stream, as her revenue; and she became the mart of nations.

4 Be ashamed, Sidon; for the sea has spoken, the stronghold of the sea, saying, “I have not travailed, nor given birth, neither have I nourished young men, nor brought up virgins.”

Be ashamed, O Zion; for spoken hath the sea, the stronghold of the sea, saying, I travailed not, nor brought forth children, neither did I nourish up young men, nor bring up virgins.

5 When the report comes to Egypt, they will be in anguish at the report of Tyre.

As at the report concerning Egypt, so shall they tremble at the report of Tyre.

6 Pass over to Tarshish! Wail, you inhabitants of the coast!

Pass ye over to Tharshish; wail, ye inhabitants of the coast-land.

7 Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days, whose feet carried her far away to travel?

Is this your fate, ye of the joyous [city]? she whose antiquity is of ancient days—her own feet shall carry her, afar off to sojourn.

8 Who has planned this against Tyre, the giver of crowns, whose merchants are princes, whose traders are the honorable of the earth?

Who hath resolved this against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traders are the honorable of the earth?

9 The LORD of Armies has planned it, to stain the pride of all glory, to bring into contempt all the honorable of the earth.

The Lord hath resolved it, to dishonor the pride of all ornament, to make of light esteem all the honorable of the earth.

10 Pass through your land like the Nile, daughter of Tarshish. There is no restraint any more.

Pass through thy land as a stream, O daughter of Tharshish: there is no more strength.

11 He has stretched out his hand over the sea. He has shaken the kingdoms. The LORD has ordered the destruction of Canaan’s strongholds.

He hath stretched out his hand over the sea, he hath shaken kingdoms; the Lord hath given a command against Canaan, to subvert its strongholds.

12 He said, “You shall rejoice no more, you oppressed virgin daughter of Sidon. Arise, pass over to Kittim. Even there you will have no rest.”

And he said, Thou shalt no longer rejoice any more, O thou oppressed virgin, daughter of Zidon: arise, pass over to the Kittim; also there shalt thou have no rest.

13 Behold, the land of the Chaldeans. This people did not exist. The Assyrians founded it for those who dwell in the wilderness. They set up their towers. They overthrew its palaces. They made it a ruin.

Behold the land of the Chaldeans—this people which was not, Asshur founded it for the dwellers in the wilderness—they have set up their watchtowers, have overthrown its palaces, have rendered it a heap of ruins.

14 Howl, you ships of Tarshish, for your stronghold is laid waste!

Wail, ye ships of Tharshish; your stronghold is laid waste.

15 It will come to pass in that day that Tyre will be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king. After the end of seventy years it will be to Tyre like in the song of the prostitute.

And it shall come to pass on that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, like the days of one king: at the end of seventy years shall it happen to Tyre as in the song of the harlot.

16 Take a harp; go about the city, you prostitute that has been forgotten. Make sweet melody. Sing many songs, that you may be remembered.

“Take the harp, go round about the city, thou forgotten harlot; make sweet music, sing many songs, in order that thou mayest be remembered.”

17 It will happen after the end of seventy years that the LORD will visit Tyre. She will return to her wages, and will play the prostitute with all the kingdoms of the world on the surface of the earth.

And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the Lord will visit Tyre, and she shall return to her hire, and shall have commerce with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.

18 Her merchandise and her wages will be holiness to the LORD. It will not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise will be for those who dwell before the LORD, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing.

And her gain and her hire shall be holy to the Lord: it shall not be treasured nor laid up; but for those that dwell before the Lord shall her gain be, to eat to fulness, and for magnificent clothing.