Study

27. A Lament for Tyre

   “‘You say, Tyre,
   “I am perfect in beauty.”
⁴ Your domain was on the high seas;
   your builders brought your beauty to perfection.
⁵ They made all your timbers
   of juniper from Senir That is, Mount Hermon;
they took a cedar from Lebanon
   to make a mast for you.
⁶ Of oaks from Bashan
   they made your oars;
of cypress wood Targum; the Masoretic Text has a different division of the consonants. from the coasts of Cyprus
   they made your deck, adorned with ivory.
⁷ Fine embroidered linen from Egypt was your sail
   and served as your banner;
your awnings were of blue and purple
   from the coasts of Elishah.
⁸ Men of Sidon and Arvad were your oarsmen;
   your skilled men, Tyre, were aboard as your sailors.
⁹ Veteran craftsmen of Byblos were on board
   as shipwrights to caulk your seams.
All the ships of the sea and their sailors
   came alongside to trade for your wares.

    ¹⁰ “‘Men of Persia, Lydia and Put
   served as soldiers in your army.
They hung their shields and helmets on your walls,
   bringing you splendor.
¹¹ Men of Arvad and Helek
   guarded your walls on every side;
men of Gammad
   were in your towers.
They hung their shields around your walls;
   they brought your beauty to perfection.

    ¹² “‘Tarshish did business with you because of your great wealth of goods; they exchanged silver, iron, tin and lead for your merchandise.

    ¹³ “‘Greece, Tubal and Meshek did business with you; they traded human beings and articles of bronze for your wares.

    ¹⁴ “‘Men of Beth Togarmah exchanged chariot horses, cavalry horses and mules for your merchandise.

    ¹⁵ “‘The men of Rhodes Septuagint; Hebrew Dedan traded with you, and many coastlands were your customers; they paid you with ivory tusks and ebony.

    ¹⁶ “‘Aram Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac Edom did business with you because of your many products; they exchanged turquoise, purple fabric, embroidered work, fine linen, coral and rubies for your merchandise.

    ¹⁷ “‘Judah and Israel traded with you; they exchanged wheat from Minnith and confections, The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain. honey, olive oil and balm for your wares.

    ¹⁸ “‘Damascus did business with you because of your many products and great wealth of goods. They offered wine from Helbon, wool from Zahar ¹⁹ and casks of wine from Izal in exchange for your wares: wrought iron, cassia and calamus.

    ²⁰ “‘Dedan traded in saddle blankets with you.

    ²¹ “‘Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your customers; they did business with you in lambs, rams and goats.

    ²² “‘The merchants of Sheba and Raamah traded with you; for your merchandise they exchanged the finest of all kinds of spices and precious stones, and gold.

    ²³ “‘Harran, Kanneh and Eden and merchants of Sheba, Ashur and Kilmad traded with you. ²⁴ In your marketplace they traded with you beautiful garments, blue fabric, embroidered work and multicolored rugs with cords twisted and tightly knotted.

    ²⁵ “‘The ships of Tarshish serve
   as carriers for your wares.
You are filled with heavy cargo
   as you sail the sea.
²⁶ Your oarsmen take you
   out to the high seas.
But the east wind will break you to pieces
   far out at sea.
²⁷ Your wealth, merchandise and wares,
   your mariners, sailors and shipwrights,
your merchants and all your soldiers,
   and everyone else on board
will sink into the heart of the sea
   on the day of your shipwreck.
²⁸ The shorelands will quake
   when your sailors cry out.
²⁹ All who handle the oars
   will abandon their ships;
the mariners and all the sailors
   will stand on the shore.
³⁰ They will raise their voice
   and cry bitterly over you;
they will sprinkle dust on their heads
   and roll in ashes.
³¹ They will shave their heads because of you
   and will put on sackcloth.
They will weep over you with anguish of soul
   and with bitter mourning.
³² As they wail and mourn over you,
   they will take up a lament concerning you:
“Who was ever silenced like Tyre,
   surrounded by the sea?”
³³ When your merchandise went out on the seas,
   you satisfied many nations;
with your great wealth and your wares
   you enriched the kings of the earth.
³⁴ Now you are shattered by the sea
   in the depths of the waters;
your wares and all your company
   have gone down with you.
³⁵ All who live in the coastlands
   are appalled at you;
their kings shudder with horror
   and their faces are distorted with fear.
³⁶ The merchants among the nations scoff at you;
   you have come to a horrible end
   and will be no more.’”