Lamentation over Tyre

1The word of the LORD came to me: 2Now you, mortal, raise a lamentation over Tyre, 3and say to Tyre, which sits at the entrance to the sea, merchant of the peoples on 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.

6From oaks of Bashan

they made your oars;

they made your deck of pines27.6 Or boxwood

from the coasts of Cyprus,

inlaid with ivory.

7Of fine embroidered linen from Egypt

was your sail,

serving as your ensign;

blue and purple from the coasts of Elishah

was your awning.

8The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad

were your rowers;

skilled men of Zemer27.8 Cn Compare Gen 10.18: Heb your skilled men, O Tyre were within you,

they were your pilots.

9The elders of Gebal and its artisans were within you,

caulking your seams;

all the ships of the sea with their mariners were within you,

to barter for your wares.

10Paras27.10 Or Persia and Lud and Put

were in your army,

your mighty warriors;

they hung shield and helmet in you;

they gave you splendour.

11Men of Arvad and Helech27.11 Or and your army

were on your walls all round;

men of Gamad were at your towers.

They hung their quivers all round your walls;

they made perfect your beauty.

12Tarshish did business with you out of the abundance of your great wealth; 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. 14Beth-togarmah exchanged for your wares horses, war-horses, and mules. 15The Rhodians27.15 Gk: Heb The Dedanites traded with you; many coastlands were your own special markets; they brought you in payment ivory tusks and ebony. 16Edom27.16 Another reading is Aram did business with you because of your abundant goods; they exchanged for your wares turquoise, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral, and rubies. 17Judah and the land of Israel traded with you; they exchanged for your merchandise wheat from Minnith, millet,27.17 Meaning of Heb uncertain honey, oil, and balm. 18Damascus traded with you for your abundant goods—because of your great wealth of every kind—wine of Helbon, and white wool. 19Vedan and Javan from Uzal27.19 Meaning of Heb uncertain entered into trade for your wares; wrought iron, cassia, and sweet cane 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 merchants 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, the merchants of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad traded with you. 24These 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; in these they traded with you.27.24 Cn: Heb in your market 25The ships of Tarshish travelled for you in your trade.

So you were filled and heavily laden

in the heart of the seas.

26Your rowers have brought you

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 warriors within you,

with all the company

that is with you,

sink into the heart of the seas

on the day of your ruin.

28At the sound of the cry of your pilots

the countryside shakes,

29and down from their ships

come all that handle the oar.

The mariners and all the pilots of the sea

stand on the shore

30and wail aloud over you,

and cry bitterly.

They throw dust on their heads

and wallow in ashes;

31they make themselves bald for you,

and put on sackcloth,

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 was ever destroyed27.32 Tg Vg: Heb like silence like Tyre

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

have sunk with you.

35All the inhabitants of the coastlands

are appalled at you;

and their kings are horribly afraid,

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.’