Isaiah 23

1 The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of the sea, for the house is destroyed, from whence they were wont to come: from the land of Cethim it is revealed to them.

The Burden of Tyre. Howl, you ships of Tarshish, For it has been destroyed, Without house, without entrance, From the land of Chittim it was revealed to them.

2 Be silent, you that dwell in the island: the merchants of Sidon passing over the sea, have filled thee.

Be silent, you inhabitants of the island, Trader of Sidon, passing the sea, they filled you.

3 The seed of the Nile in many waters, the harvest of the river is her revenue: and she is become the mart of the nations.

And the seed of Sihor [is] in many waters, Her increase [is] the harvest of the brook, And she is a market of nations.

4 Be thou ashamed, O Sidon: for the sea speaketh, even the strength of the sea, saying: I have not been in labour, nor have I brought forth, nor have I nourished up young men, nor brought up virgins.

Be ashamed, O Sidon; for the sea spoke, The strength of the sea, saying, “I have not been pained, nor have I brought forth, Nor have I nourished young men, [nor] brought up virgins.”

5 When it shall be heard in Egypt, they will be sorry when they shall hear of Tyre:

As they are pained [at] the report of Egypt, So [at] the report of Tyre.

6 Pass over the seas, howl, ye inhabitants of the island.

Pass over to Tarshish, howl, you inhabitants of the island,

7 Is not this your city, which gloried from of old in her antiquity? her feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn.

Is this your exulting one? Her antiquity [is] from the days of old, Her own feet carry her far off to sojourn.

8 Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, that was formerly crowned, whose merchants were princes, and her traders the nobles of the earth?

Who has counseled this against Tyre, The crowning one, whose traders [are] princes, Her merchants—the honored of earth?

9 The Lord of hosts hath designed it, to pull down the pride of all glory, and bring to disgrace all the glorious ones of the earth.

YHWH of Hosts has counseled it, To defile the excellence of all beauty, To make light all the honored of earth.

10 Pass thy land as a river, O daughter of the sea, thou hast a girdle no more.

Pass through your land as a brook, Daughter of Tarshish, There is no longer a girdle.

11 He stretched out his hand over the sea, he troubled kingdoms: the Lord hath given a charge against Chanaan, to destroy the strong ones thereof.

He has stretched out His hand over the sea, He has caused kingdoms to tremble, YHWH has charged concerning the merchant one, To destroy her strong places.

12 And he said: Thou shalt glory no more, O virgin daughter of Sidon, who art oppressed: arise and sail over to Cethim, there also thou shalt have no, rest.

And He says, “You do not add to exult anymore, O oppressed one, virgin daughter of Sidon, To Chittim arise, pass over, Even there—there is no rest for you.”

13 Behold the land of the Chaldeans, there was not such a people, the Assyrian founded it: they have led away the strong ones thereof into captivity, they have destroyed the houses thereof, they have brought it to ruin.

Behold, the land of the Chaldeans—this people was not, Asshur founded it for desert-dwellers, They raised its watchtowers, They lifted up her palaces—He has appointed her for a ruin!

14 Howl, O ye ships of the sea, for your strength is laid waste.

Howl, you ships of Tarshish, For your strength has been destroyed.

15 And it shall come to pass in that day that thou, O Tyre, shalt be forgotten, seventy years, according to the days of one king: but after seventy years, there shall be unto Tyre as the song of a harlot.

And it has come to pass in that day, That Tyre is forgotten seventy years, According to the days of one king. At the end of seventy years there is to Tyre as the song of the harlot.

16 Take a harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten: sing well, sing many a song, that thou mayst be remembered.

Take a harp, go around the city, O forgotten harlot, play well, Multiply song that you may be remembered.

17 And it shall come to pass after seventy years, that the Lord will visit Tyre, and will bring her back again to her traffic: and she shall commit fornication again with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.

And it has come to pass, At the end of seventy years YHWH inspects Tyre, And she has returned to her wage, And she committed fornication With all kingdoms of the earth on the face of the ground.

18 And her merchandise and her hire shall be sanctified to the Lord: they shall not be kept in store, nor laid up: for her merchandise shall be for them that shall dwell before the Lord, that they may eat unto fulness, and be clothed for a continuance.

And her merchandise and her wage have been holy to YHWH, Not treasured up nor stored, For her merchandise is to those sitting before YHWH, To eat to satiety, and for a lasting covering!