Isaiah 23
1 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 Chittim it is revealed to them.
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.
2 Be still, ye inhabitants of the isle; thou whom the merchants of Zidon, that pass over the sea, have replenished.
Be silent, you inhabitants of the coast; the merchant of Sidon, who travels over the sea, has filled you.
3 And by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river, [is] her revenue; and she is a mart of nations.
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.
4 Be thou ashamed, O Zidon: for the sea hath spoken, [even] the strength of the sea, saying, I travail not, nor bring forth children, neither do I nourish young men, [nor] bring up virgins.
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.”
5 As at the report concerning Egypt, [so] shall they be sorely pained at the report of Tyre.
When the report comes to Egypt, they will be grieved concerning Tyre.
6 Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle.
Cross over to Tarshish; wail, you inhabitants of the coast.
7 [Is] this your joyous [city], whose antiquity [is] of ancient days? her own feet shall carry her far off to sojourn.
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?
8 Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning [city], whose merchants [are] princes, whose traders [are] the honorable of the earth?
Who has planned this against Tyre, the giver of crowns, whose merchants are princes, whose traders are the honored ones of the earth?
9 The LORD of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, [and] to bring into contempt all the honorable of the earth.
Yahweh of hosts has planned it to dishonor her pride and all her glory, to shame all her honored ones of the earth.
10 Pass through thy land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish: [there is] no more strength.
Plow your land, as one plows the Nile, daughter of Tarshish. There is no longer a marketplace in Tyre.
11 He stretched his hand over the sea, he shook the kingdoms: the LORD hath given a commandment against the merchant [city], to destroy its strong holds.
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.
12 And he said, Thou shalt no more rejoice, O thou oppressed virgin, daughter of Zidon: arise, pass over to Chittim; there also shalt thou have no rest.
He said, “You will not rejoice again, oppressed virgin daughter of Sidon; arise, pass over to Cyprus; but neither there you will have rest.”
13 Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, [till] the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up its towers, they raised up its palaces; [and] he brought it to ruin.
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.
14 Howl, ye ships of Tarshish: for your strength is laid waste.
Howl, you ships of Tarshish; for your refuge has been destroyed.
15 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 shall Tyre sing as a harlot.
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.
16 Take a harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered.
Take a harp, go about the city, you forgotten prostitute; play it well, sing many songs, so that you may be remembered.
17 And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the LORD will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.
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.
18 And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the LORD: it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the LORD, for sufficient food, and for durable clothing.
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.
