Lament over Tyre

1Moreover, the word of Yahweh came to me saying, 2“Now as for you, son of man, take up a lamentation over Tyre 3and say to Tyre, who inhabits the [†]entrance to the sea, a trader of the peoples to many coastlands, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh,

“O Tyre, you have said, ‘I am perfect in beauty.’

4Your borders are in the heart of the seas;

Your builders have perfected your beauty.

5They have [†]made all your planks of fir trees from Senir;

They have taken a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you.

6Of oaks from Bashan they have made your oars;

With ivory they have [†]inlaid your deck of boxwood from the coastlands of Cyprus.

7Your [†]sail was of fine embroidered linen from Egypt

So that it became your [†]standard;

Your [†]awning was [†]blue and purple from the coastlands of Elishah.

8The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were your rowers;

Your wise men, O Tyre, were [†]aboard; they were your pilots.

9The elders of Gebal and her wise men were with you repairing your seams;

All the ships of the sea and their sailors were with you in order to deal in your merchandise.

10“Persia and Lud and Put were in your military force, your men of war. They hung shield and helmet in you; they set forth your majesty. 11The sons of Arvad and your military force were on your walls, all around, and the [†]Gammadim were in your towers. They hung their small shields on your walls all around; they perfected your beauty.

12“Tarshish was your customer because of the abundance of all kinds of wealth; with silver, iron, tin, and lead they paid for your wares. 13Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, they were your traders; with the lives of men and vessels of bronze they paid for your merchandise. 14Those from Beth-togarmah gave horses and war horses and mules for your wares. 15The sons of Dedan were your traders. Many coastlands were [†]customers at your hand; ivory tusks and ebony they brought as your payment. 16Aram was your customer because of the abundance of your [†]goods; they paid for your wares with emeralds, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral, and rubies. 17Judah and the land of Israel, they were your traders; with the wheat of Minnith, [†]cakes, honey, oil, and balm they paid for your merchandise. 18Damascus was your customer because of the abundance of your [†]goods, because of the abundance of all kinds of wealth, because of the wine of Helbon and white wool. 19Also Vedan and Javan paid for your wares [†]from Uzal; wrought iron, cassia, and [†]sweet cane were among your merchandise. 20Dedan traded with you in saddlecloths for riding. 21Arabia and all the princes of Kedar, they were [†]customers at your hand for lambs, rams, and goats; for these, they were your customers. 22The traders of Sheba and Raamah, they traded with you; they paid for your wares with the best of all kinds of spices and with all kinds of precious stones and gold. 23Haran, Canneh, Eden, the traders of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad traded with you. 24They traded with you in choice garments, in clothes of [†]blue and embroidered work, and in carpets of many colors and tightly wound cords, which were among your merchandise. 25The ships of Tarshish were [†]the carriers for your merchandise.

And you were filled and were very [†]glorious

In the heart of the seas.

26“Your rowers have brought you

Into great waters;

The east wind has broken you

In the heart of the seas.

27Your wealth, your wares, your merchandise,

Your sailors and your pilots,

Your repairers of seams, your dealers in merchandise,

And all your men of war who are in you,

With all your assembly that is in your midst,

Will fall into the heart of the seas

On the day of your downfall.

28At the sound of the cry of your pilots

The pasture lands will shake.

29All who handle the oar,

The sailors and all the pilots of the sea,

Will come down from their ships;

They will stand on the land,

30And they will make their voice heard over you

And will cry bitterly.

They will cast dust on their heads;

They will wallow in ashes.

31Also they will make themselves bald for you

And gird themselves with sackcloth;

And they will weep for you in bitterness of soul

With bitter mourning.

32Moreover, in their wailing they will take up a lamentation for you

And lament over you:

‘Who is like Tyre,

Like her who is silent in the midst of the sea?

33When your wares went out from the seas,

You satisfied a great number of peoples;

With the greatness of your wealth and your merchandise

You enriched the kings of earth.

34[†]Now that you are broken by the seas

In the depths of the waters,

Your merchandise and all your assembly

Have fallen in the midst of you.

35All the inhabitants of the coastlands

Are appalled at you,

And their kings are horribly horrified;

They are troubled in countenance.

36The merchants among the peoples hiss at you;

You have become [†]terrified,

And you will cease to be forever.’”’”