Isaiah 23

1 A declaration about Tyre: Howl, you ships of Tarshish; for there is neither home nor harbor; from the land of Cyprus it has been revealed to them.

The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye 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.

2 Be silent, you inhabitants of the coast; the merchant of Sidon, who travels over the sea, has filled you.

Be still, ye inhabitants of the coast-land; thou whom the merchants of Zidon, that pass over the sea, have replenished.

3 Upon the great waters was the grain of Shihor, the harvest of the Nile was her produce; and it became the commerce of the nations.

And on great waters the seed of Shihor, the harvest of the Nile, was her revenue; and she was the mart of nations.

4 Be ashamed, Sidon; for the sea has spoken, the mighty one of the sea. He says, “I have not labored nor given birth, nor have I raised young men nor brought up young women.”

Be thou ashamed, O Zidon; for the sea hath spoken, the stronghold of the sea, saying: 'I have not travailed, nor brought forth, neither have I reared young men, nor brought up virgins.'

5 When the report comes to Egypt, they will be grieved concerning Tyre.

When the report cometh to Egypt, they shall be sorely pained at the report of Tyre.

6 Cross over to Tarshish; wail, you inhabitants of the coast.

Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the coast-land.

7 Has this happened to you, the joyful city, whose origin is from ancient times, whose feet carried her far away to foreign places to settle?

Is this your joyous city, whose feet in antiquity, in ancient days, carried her afar off to sojourn?

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

Who hath devised this against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth?

9 Yahweh of hosts has planned it to dishonor her pride and all her glory, to shame all her honored ones of the earth.

The LORD of hosts hath devised it, to pollute the pride of all glory, to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth.

10 Plow your land, as one plows the Nile, daughter of Tarshish. There is no longer a marketplace in Tyre.

Overflow thy land as the Nile, O daughter of Tarshish! there is no girdle any more.

11 Yahweh has reached out with his hand over the sea, and he has shaken the kingdoms; he has given a command concerning Phoenicia, to destroy the strongholds.

He hath stretched out His hand over the sea, He hath shaken the kingdoms; the LORD hath given commandment concerning Canaan, to destroy the strongholds thereof;

12 He said, “You will not rejoice again, oppressed virgin daughter of Sidon; arise, pass over to Cyprus; but neither there you will have rest.”

And He said: 'Thou shalt no more rejoice.' O thou oppressed virgin daughter of Zidon, arise, pass over to Kittim; even there shalt thou have no rest.

13 See the land of the Chaldeans. This people has ceased to be; the Assyrians have made it a wilderness for wild animals. They set up their siege towers; they demolished its palaces; they made it a heap of ruins.

Behold, the land of the Chaldeans — this is the people that was not, when Asshur founded it for shipmen — they set up their towers, they overthrew the palaces thereof; it is made a ruin.

14 Howl, you ships of Tarshish; for your refuge has been destroyed.

Howl, ye ships of Tarshish, for your stronghold is laid waste.

15 In that day, Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years, like the days of a king. After the end of seventy years there will happen in Tyre something like in the song of the prostitute.

And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king; after the end of seventy years it shall fare with Tyre as in the song of the harlot:

16 Take a harp, go about the city, you forgotten prostitute; play it well, sing many songs, so that you may be remembered.

Take a harp, go about the city, thou harlot long forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered.

17 It will come about that after seventy years, Yahweh will help Tyre, and she will start making money again by doing the work of a prostitute, and she will offer her services to all the kingdoms of the earth.

And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the LORD will remember 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 profits and earnings will be set apart to Yahweh. They will not be stored up or kept in the treasury, for her profits will be given to those who live in Yahweh's presence and will be used to supply them with abundant food and so they can have the best quality clothing.

And her gain and her hire shall be holiness to the LORD; it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her gain shall be for them that dwell before the LORD, to eat their fill, and for stately clothing.