< Ezekiel 27 >
1 Yahweh said this to me:
Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
2 “You human, sing a funeral song about Tyre.
“Now you, son of man, take up a lament for Tyre.
3 [The city of] is located [on an island] at the edge of the sea, and their merchants (traded/bought and sold goods) with people-groups [who live] along many seacoasts. This is what [I], Yahweh the Lord, say [that you should tell them]: ‘You [people of] Tyre said that your [city] was very beautiful.
Tell Tyre, who dwells at the gateway to the sea, merchant of the peoples on many coasts, that this is what the Lord GOD says: You have said, O Tyre, ‘I am perfect in beauty.’
4 You controlled what was bought and sold by people who lived along the sea. Those who built your [city] caused it to become very beautiful.
Your borders are in the heart of the seas; your builders perfected your beauty.
5 You were like [SIM] a huge ship that was built from the from pine/cypress [trees] on Hermon [Mountain]. Then they took cedar [wood] from Lebanon to make a mast for the ship.
They constructed all your planking with cypress from Senir. They took a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you.
6 They carved your oars from oak trees from the Bashan [region]. They made the deck from cypress/pine wood from Cyprus [island], and they covered [the decks] with ivory.
Of oaks from Bashan they made your oars; of wood from the coasts of Cyprus they made your deck, inlaid with ivory.
7 The sails for the ship were made from fine embroidered linen from Egypt, and those sails were like flags that people could see [far away]. For shade they [hung pieces of] blue and purple cloth [brought] from [people living on] Cyprus [island].
Of embroidered fine linen from Egypt they made your sail, which served as your banner. Of blue and purple from the coasts of Elishah they made your awning.
8 Men from Sidon and Arvad [cities] pulled the oars; the men who steered the boat were skilled men from Tyre.
The men of Sidon and Arvad were your oarsmen. Your men of skill, O Tyre, were there as your captains.
9 Experienced craftsmen from Byblos [city on the coast] (did the caulking/filled the spaces between the planks in the sides) of the ship. Sailors from many countries came in their ships to buy and sell goods there.
The elders of Gebal were aboard as shipwrights, repairing your leaks. All the ships of the sea and their sailors came alongside to barter for your merchandise.
10 Men from [as far away as] Persia, Lydia, and Libya were [soldiers] in your army. They hung their shields and helmets on [the walls of] your [city], and that caused people to admire your city.
Men of Persia, Lydia, and Put served as warriors in your army. They hung their shields and helmets on your walls; they gave you splendor.
11 Men from Arvad and Helech [cities were watchmen] on the walls [of your city]; men from Gammad [town] were in your towers. They [also] hung their shields on your walls; they also caused your [city] to be very beautiful.
Men of Arvad and Helech manned your walls all around, and the men of Gammad were in your towers. They hung their shields around your walls; they perfected your beauty.
12 Because of the many things that you had [to trade], men from Tarshish [in Spain] sent merchants who brought silver, iron, tin, and lead to trade for things that you had.
Tarshish was your merchant because of your great wealth of goods; they exchanged silver, iron, tin, and lead for your wares.
13 [Merchants from] Greece, Tubal, and Meshech brought slaves and things made from bronze to trade for things that you had.
Javan, Tubal, and Meshech were your merchants. They exchanged slaves and bronze utensils for your merchandise.
14 [Men from] Beth-Togarmah [in Armenia] brought work horses, war horses, and mules to trade for things that you had.
The men of Beth-togarmah exchanged horses, war horses, and mules for your wares.
15 Merchants came to you from Rhodes [island]. [People from] nations along the coast traded with you; they brought (ivory/elephant tusks) and [valuable black] ebony [wood] to trade for things that you had.
The men of Dedan were your clients; many coastlands were your market; they paid you with ivory tusks and ebony.
16 Because you had very many things [to trade], people from Syria brought to you valuable turquoise stones, purple [cloth], embroidered [cloth], fine linen [cloth], and [jewelry made from] coral and rubies to trade for your things.
Aram was your customer because of your many products; they exchanged turquoise, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral, and rubies for your wares.
17 Men from Judah and Israel brought wheat from Minnith [city in Ammon], and figs, honey, [olive] oil, and ointment to trade for your things.
Judah and the land of Israel traded with you; they exchanged wheat from Minnith, cakes and honey, oil and balm for your merchandise.
18 Because you had very many things [to trade], men from Damascus brought wine from Helbon [town] and white wool from the Zahar [area] to trade for many things that you had.
Because of your many products and your great wealth of goods, Damascus traded with you wine from Helbon, wool from Zahar,
19 Greek men from the Uzal [area] brought things made of iron, and cassia [spice], and [fragrant] calamus [seeds] to trade for things that you had.
and casks of wine from Izal for your wares. Wrought iron, cassia, and sweet cane were exchanged for your merchandise.
20 [Merchants came from] Dedan [in southern Edom] bringing saddle blankets to trade for things that you had.
Dedan was your merchant in saddlecloths for riding.
21 Men from Arabia and all the rulers of the Kedar [region] sent merchants to trade lambs and rams and male goats for things that you had.
Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your customers, trading in lambs, rams, and goats.
22 Merchants from Sheba and Raamah [in Arabia] brought many kinds of very good spices and jewels and gold to exchange for things that you had.
The merchants of Sheba and Raamah traded with you; for your wares they exchanged gold, the finest of all spices, and precious stones.
23 [Men came from] Haran, Canneh, Eden, Sheba, Asshur and Kilmad [in Mesopotamia] with their goods.
Haran, Canneh, and Eden traded with you, and so did the merchants of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad.
24 They brought pretty things to trade: Blue cloth, embroidered cloth, and rugs of [many] colors that were [rolled up and] tied with ropes.
In your marketplace they traded with you fine garments of blue, embroidered work, and multicolored rugs with cords tightly twisted and knotted.
25 Cargo ships from Tarshish carried [all] those things that you traded; and the warehouses on your island were full of all those things.’”
The ships of Tarshish carried your merchandise. And you were filled with heavy cargo in the heart of the sea.
26 “‘The men who row your boats took [the ships full of] cargo out on the stormy seas. But the strong east wind wrecked those cargo boats.
Your oarsmen have brought you onto the high seas, but the east wind will shatter you in the heart of the sea.
27 Everything in the boats (was lost/sank to the bottom of the sea)— all the valuable cargo [DOU] and [many of] [HYP] the sailors and ship pilots, the ship workers and merchants and soldiers. On the day that the ships were wrecked, many of those on the ships sank to the bottom of the sea.
Your wealth, wares, and merchandise, your sailors, captains, and shipwrights, your merchants and all the warriors within you, with all the other people on board, will sink into the heart of the sea on the day of your downfall.
28 [The people in cities along] the coast trembled when they heard your ship pilots cry out.
The countryside will shake when your sailors cry out.
29 All the men who remained who pulled the oars left the ships; the sailors and pilots [go to the shore and] stand on the beach.
All who handle the oars will abandon their ships. The sailors and all the captains of the sea will stand on the shore.
30 They cry aloud because of [what has happened to] your [wealth], and they weep bitterly. They throw dirt on their heads and roll around in ashes.
They will raise their voices for you and cry out bitterly. They will throw dust on their heads and roll in ashes.
31 They shave their heads to show that they are very sad because of [what has happened to] you, and they put on rough sackcloth. They weep for you very bitterly and mourn for you.
They will shave their heads for you and wrap themselves in sackcloth. They will weep over you with anguish of soul and bitter mourning.
32 While they wail and mourn because of what has happened to you, they sing this sad funeral song: “There was certainly never [RHQ] a city like Tyre that now is silent, covered by the waves of the sea.”
As they wail and mourn over you, they will take up a lament for you: ‘Who was ever like Tyre, silenced in the middle of the sea?
33 The goods that your merchants traded were things that pleased the people of many countries. Kings in very distant places became rich from the wealth that they obtained from trading with you.
When your wares went out to sea, you satisfied many nations. You enriched the kings of the earth with your abundant wealth and merchandise.
34 But now your city is like a ship [MET] that is wrecked in the sea, and everything that was in it is broken, at the bottom of the sea. All of your cargo and your sailors have sunk to the bottom of the sea along with the ships.
Now you are shattered by the seas in the depths of the waters; your merchandise and the people among you have gone down with you.
35 All the people who live along the seacoast are appalled/horrified because of what has happened to you. Their kings are very horrified, [causing] their faces to be twisted [as they watch].
All the people of the coastlands are appalled over you. Their kings shudder with fear; their faces are contorted.
36 The merchants of the [other] nations shake their heads [because it is difficult for them to believe what has happened]; your city has disappeared, and it will not exist any more.’”
Those who trade among the nations hiss at you; you have come to a horrible end and will be no more.’”