A Lament for Tyre
1 The word of the Lord came again to me, saying, 2 “You, son of man, take up a lament over Tyre 3 and tell Tyre, ‘You who dwell at the entry of the sea, who are the merchant of the peoples to many islands, the Lord God says:
You, O Tyre, have said,
‘I am perfect in beauty.’
4 Your borders are in the heart of the seas.
Your builders have perfected your beauty.
5 They have made all your planks of cypress trees from Senir.
They have taken a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you.
6 They have made your oars of the oaks of Bashan.
They have made your benches of ivory inlaid in cypress wood from the islands of Kittim.
7 Your sail was of fine linen with embroidered work from Egypt,
that it might be a banner for you.
Blue and purple from the islands of Elishah was your awning.
8 The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were your rowers.
Your wise men, Tyre, were within you.
They were your captains.
9 The elders of Gebal and its wise men
calked the seams of your ships.
All the ships of the sea with their mariners
were within you to trade your merchandise.
10 Persia, Lud, and Put were in your army–your warriors.
They hung the shield and helmet in you.
They showed your beauty.
11 The men of Arvad with your army were all over your walls,
and valiant men were in your towers.
They hung their shields all around your walls.
They have perfected your beauty.
12 Tarshish was your merchant partner because of the multitude and diversity of your wealth. They traded for your wares with silver, iron, tin, and lead.
13 Javan, Tubal, and Meshech were your traders. They traded slaves and vessels of bronze for your merchandise.
14 Those of the house of Togarmah traded for your wares with horses, war horses, and mules.
15 The men of Dedan traded with you. Many islands brought you ivory tusks and ebony to exchange for your goods.
16 Syria was your merchant because of the multitude of your handiwork. They traded for your wares with emeralds, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral, and rubies.
17 Judah and the land of Israel were your traders. They traded wheat of Minnith, confections, honey, oil, and balm for your merchandise.
18 Damascus was your merchant for the multitude of your handiwork, because of the multitude and diversity of your wealth, with the wine of Helbon and white wool.
19 Vedan and Javan traded with yarn for your wares: bright iron, cassia, and calamus were among your merchandise.
20 Dedan was your dealer for precious cloths for riding.
21 Arabia, and all the princes of Kedar were your traders in lambs, rams, and goats. In these, they were your merchants.
22 The merchants of Sheba and Raamah traded with you. For your merchandise, they exchanged the best of every spice, and with every precious stone, and with gold.
23 Haran, Canneh, and Eden, the traders of Sheba, Asshur and Chilmad, were your traders. 24 They were your traders in choice products. Blue fabrics and embroidered work, and chests of rich clothing, bound with cords and made of cedar were among your merchandise.
25 The ships of Tarshish were the caravans for your merchandise.
You were full and exceedingly glorious in the heart of the seas.’ “
The Destruction of Tyre
26 ” ‘Your rowers have brought you into high seas.
The east wind has broken you in the heart of the seas.
27 Your riches,
your wares,
your merchandise,
your mariners,
your captains,
your repairers of ship seams,
the dealers in your merchandise,
and all your warriors who are within you,
with all your people who are among you,
will fall into the heart of the seas on the day of your ruin.
28 At the sound of the cry from your sailors,
the pasture lands will shake.
29 All who handle the oars,
the mariners and all the pilots of the sea,
will come down from their ships.
They will stand on the land
30 and will make their voices heard over you, crying bitterly.
They will throw dust on their heads,
and will wallow in the ashes.
31 They will make themselves bald on behalf of you
and clothe themselves with sackcloth.
They will weep for you in bitterness of soul
with bitter mourning.
32 In their wailing they will take up a lament for you
and lament over you, saying,
‘Who is there like Tyre,
who is brought to silence in the midst of the sea?’
33 When your merchandise went out by sea,
you filled many peoples.
You enriched the kings of the earth
with the multitude of your riches and of your merchandise.
34 In the time that you were broken by the seas,
in the depths of the waters,
your merchandise
and all your people fell within you.
35 All the inhabitants of the islands are appalled at you,
and their kings are horribly afraid.
Their countenance is troubled.
36 The merchants among the peoples mock you.
You have become a horror,
and you will be no more.’ ”