Isaie 23

¹The burden of Tyre. Howl ye ships of the sea, because the house is destroyed, from whence they were wont to come: from the land of Cethim it is revealed to them.

²Hold your peace ye that dwell in the isle: the traffickers of Sidon passing over the sea, have replenished thee.

³The seed of Nilus in many waters, the harvest of the river was her fruits: & she was made the traffic of the nations.

⁴Be ashamed Sidon, for the sea saith, the strength of the sea, saying: I have not travailed, and I have not brought forth, and I have not nourished young men, nor brought virgins to their growth.

⁵When it shall be heard in Ægypt, they will be sorry when they shall hear of Tyre:

⁶Pass over the seas, howl ye that dwell in the isle.

⁷Is not this your city, which gloried from ancient days in her antiquity? Her feet shall lead her afar to sojourn.

⁸Who hath thought this against Tyre, that was some time crowned, whose merchants were princes, her chapmen the nobles of the earth?

⁹The Lord of hosts hath thought it, that he might pluck down the pride of all glory, and bring all the glorious of the earth to ignominy.

¹⁰Pass thy land as a river, o daughter of the sea, thou hast a girdle no more.

¹¹He hath stretched forth his hand upon the sea, he hath troubled kingdoms: Our Lord hath given commandment against Chanaan, to destroy the strong thereof,

¹²and he said: Thou shalt add no more to glory, o Virgin daughter of Sidon sustaining calumny: rising up sail over to Cethim, there also thou shalt have no rest.

¹³Behold the land of the Chaldees was not such a people, Assur founded it: they led away the strong thereof into captivity, they undermined the houses thereof, they brought it to ruin.

¹⁴Howl ye ships of the sea, because your strength is destroyed.

¹⁵And it shall be in that day: thou shalt be in oblivion o Tyre, seventy years, as the days of one king: but after seventy years, there shall be to Tyre as it were the song of an harlot.

¹⁶Take an harp, go about the city thou harlot forgotten: sing well, multiply song, that there may be remembrance of thee.

¹⁷And it shall be after seventy years: our Lord will visit Tyre, and will bring her back again to her merchandise: and she shall fornicate again with all the kingdoms of the earth, upon the face of the earth.

¹⁸And the marts, and rewards shall be sanctified to our Lord: they shall not be kept in store, nor laid up: because her merchandise shall be for them, that shall dwell before our Lord, that they may eat unto satiety, and be clothed unto continuance.