A Lament for Tyre

1The word of the LORD came to me: 2“Now you, son of man, raise a lamentation over Tyre, 3and say to Tyre, who dwells at the entrances to the sea, merchant of the peoples to many coastlands, thus says the Lord GOD:

“O Tyre, you have said,

‘I am perfect in beauty.’

4Your borders are in the heart of the seas;

your builders made perfect your beauty.

5They made all your planks

of fir trees from Senir;

they took a cedar from Lebanon

to make a mast for you.

6Of oaks of Bashan

they made your oars;

they made your deck of pines

from the coasts of Cyprus,

inlaid with ivory.

7Of fine embroidered linen from Egypt

was your sail,

serving as your banner;

blue and purple from the coasts of Elishah

was your awning.

8The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad

were your rowers;

your skilled men, O Tyre, were in you;

they were your pilots.

9The elders of Gebal and her skilled men were in you,

caulking your seams;

all the ships of the sea with their mariners were in you

to barter for your wares.

10“Persia and Lud and Put were in your army as your men of war. They hung the shield and helmet in you; they gave you splendour. 11Men of Arvad and Helech were on your walls all round, and men of Gamad were in your towers. They hung their shields on your walls all round; they made perfect your beauty.

12“Tarshish did business with you because of your great wealth of every kind; silver, iron, tin, and lead they exchanged for your wares. 13Javan, Tubal, and Meshech traded with you; they exchanged human beings and vessels of bronze for your merchandise. 14From Beth-togarmah they exchanged horses, war horses, and mules for your wares. 15The men of Dedan27:15 Hebrew; Septuagint Rhodes traded with you. Many coastlands were your own special markets; they brought you in payment ivory tusks and ebony. 16Syria did business with you because of your abundant goods; they exchanged for your wares emeralds, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral, and ruby. 17Judah and the land of Israel traded with you; they exchanged for your merchandise wheat of Minnith, meal,27:17 The meaning of the Hebrew word is unknown honey, oil, and balm. 18Damascus did business with you for your abundant goods, because of your great wealth of every kind; wine of Helbon and wool of Sahar 19and casks of wine27:19 Probable reading; Hebrew wool of Sahar 19 and Dan and Javan from Uzal they exchanged for your wares; wrought iron, cassia, and calamus were bartered for your merchandise. 20Dedan traded with you in saddlecloths for riding. 21Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your favoured dealers in lambs, rams, and goats; in these they did business with you. 22The traders of Sheba and Raamah traded with you; they exchanged for your wares the best of all kinds of spices and all precious stones and gold. 23Haran, Canneh, Eden, traders of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad traded with you. 24In your market these traded with you in choice garments, in clothes of blue and embroidered work, and in carpets of coloured material, bound with cords and made secure. 25The ships of Tarshish travelled for you with your merchandise. So you were filled and heavily laden in the heart of the seas.

26“Your rowers have brought you out

into the high seas.

The east wind has wrecked you

in the heart of the seas.

27Your riches, your wares, your merchandise,

your mariners and your pilots,

your caulkers, your dealers in merchandise,

and all your men of war who are in you,

with all your crew

that is in your midst,

sink into the heart of the seas

on the day of your fall.

28At the sound of the cry of your pilots

the countryside shakes,

29and down from their ships

come all who handle the oar.

The mariners and all the pilots of the sea

stand on the land

30and shout aloud over you

and cry out bitterly.

They cast dust on their heads

and wallow in ashes;

31they make themselves bald for you

and put sackcloth on their waist,

and they weep over you in bitterness of soul,

with bitter mourning.

32In their wailing they raise a lamentation for you

and lament over you:

‘Who is like Tyre,

like one destroyed in the midst of the sea?

33When your wares came from the seas,

you satisfied many peoples;

with your abundant wealth and merchandise

you enriched the kings of the earth.

34Now you are wrecked by the seas,

in the depths of the waters;

your merchandise and all your crew in your midst

have sunk with you.

35All the inhabitants of the coastlands

are appalled at you,

and the hair of their kings bristles with horror;

their faces are convulsed.

36The merchants among the peoples hiss at you;

you have come to a dreadful end

and shall be no more for ever.’ ”