Isaiah 23

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Proclamation about Tyre: Howl, ships of Tarshish, for al has been destroyed- no more houses, no wayof getting in: the news has reached them from Kittim.	1 The burden of Tyre. Wail, you ships of the sea! For the house, from which they were accustomed to go forth, has been laid waste. From the land of Kittim, this has been revealed to them.
2 Be struck dumb, inhabitants of the coast, you merchants of Sidon, whose messengers cross the sea	2 Be silent, you inhabitants of the island! The merchants of Sidon, crossing over the sea, have filled you.
3 to the wide ocean. The grain of the Canal, the harvest of the Nile, formed her revenue. She was themarket for the nations.	3 The offspring of the Nile is in the midst of many waters. The harvest of the river is her crop. And she has become the marketplace of the nations.
4 Blush, Sidon (citadel of the seas), for this is what the sea has said, 'I have felt no birth-pangs, nevergiven birth, never reared boys nor brought up girls.'	4 Be ashamed, O Sidon! For the sea speaks, the strength of the sea, saying: “I have not been in labor, and I have not given birth, and I have not raised young men, nor have I promoted the development of virgins.”
5 When the news reaches Egypt, they wil tremble to hear Tyre's fate.	5 When it has been heard in Egypt, they will be in anguish, when they hear of Tyre.
6 Cross to Tarshish, howl, inhabitants of the coast.	6 Cross over the seas. Wail, you inhabitants of the island!
7 Is this your proud city founded far back in the past, whose steps led her far afield to found her colonies?	7 Is this not your place, which from its earliest days has gloried in its antiquity? Her feet will lead her to a sojourn far away.
8 Who took this decision against Tyre, who used to hand out crowns, whose traders were princes, whose merchants, men honoured in the city?	8 Who has made this plan against Tyre, which formerly was crowned, whose merchants were leaders, whose traders were illustrious on the earth?
9 Yahweh Sabaoth took this decision to wither the pride of al beauty and humiliate those honoured in thecity.	9 The Lord of hosts has planned this, so that he may tear down the arrogance of all glory, and may bring disgrace to all the illustrious of the earth.
10 Cultivate your country like the Delta, daughter of Tarshish, for your marine docks are no more.	10 Cross through your land, as through a river, O daughter of the sea. You no longer have a belt.
11 He has raised his hand against the sea, he has shaken kingdoms, Yahweh has ordained thedestruction of the fortresses of Canaan.	11 He has extended his hand over the sea. He has stirred up kingdoms. The Lord has given an order against Canaan, so that he may crush its strong.
12 He has said, 'Exult no more, il -treated virgin daughter of Sidon! Get up, cross to Kittim, no respite foryou there, either.'	12 And he said: “You shall no longer increase so as to glory, while enduring calumny, O virgin daughter of Sidon. Rise up and set sail for Kittim; in that place, too, there will be no rest for you.”
13 Look at the land of the Chaldaeans, a people who used not to exist! Assyria assigned it to thecreatures of the wilds; they raised their siege-towers against it, demolished its bastions, reduced it to ruin.	13 Behold, the land of the Chaldeans: never before was there such a people! Assur founded it. They have led away its strong ones into captivity. They have dug under its houses. They have left it in ruins.
14 Howl, ships of Tarshish, for your fortress has been destroyed.	14 Wail, you ships of the sea! For your strength has been devastated.
15 When that day comes, Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years, the length of one king's life. But whenthe seventy years are over, Tyre wil become like the whore in the song:	15 And this shall be in that day: you, O Tyre, will be forgotten for seventy years, like the days of one king. Then, after seventy years, there will be, for Tyre, something like the canticle of a harlot.
16 'Take your harp, walk the town, whore whom men have forgotten! Play sweetly, song after song, tomake them remember you.'	16 Take up a stringed instrument. Circulate through the city, you harlot who had been forgotten. Sing many canticles well, so that you may be remembered.
17 At the end of the seventy years Yahweh wil visit Tyre. She wil receive her pay again and play thewhore with al the kingdoms of the world on the surface of the earth.	17 And this shall be after seventy years: the Lord will visit Tyre, and he will lead her back to her profits. And she will fornicate again with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.
18 But her profits and wages wil be dedicated to Yahweh. They will not be stored or hoarded, but herprofits wil go to those who live in Yahweh's presence, for them to have as much food as they want and splendidclothes.	18 And her businesses and her profits will be sanctified to the Lord. They will not be locked away and they will not be stored. For her business will be for those who will live in the presence of the Lord, so that they may eat until satisfied, and may be well-clothed even into old age.