Isaiah 23

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

23 The oracle concerning Tyre.
Wail, O ships of Tarshish,
    for Tyre is laid waste, without house or haven!
From the land of Cyprus
    it is revealed to them.
² Be still, O inhabitants of the coast,
    O merchants of Sidon;
your messengers passed over the sea^[a]
3     and were on many waters;
your revenue was the grain of Shihor,
    the harvest of the Nile;
    you were the merchant of the nations.
⁴ Be ashamed, O Sidon, for the sea has spoken,
    the stronghold of the sea, saying:
“I have neither travailed nor given birth,
    I have neither reared young men
    nor brought up virgins.”
⁵ When the report comes to Egypt,
    they will be in anguish over the report about Tyre.
⁶ Pass over to Tarshish,
    wail, O inhabitants of the coast!
⁷ Is this your exultant city
    whose origin is from days of old,
whose feet carried her
    to settle afar?
⁸ Who has purposed this
    against Tyre, the bestower of crowns,
whose merchants were princes,
    whose traders were the honored of the earth?
⁹ The Lord of hosts has purposed it,
    to defile the pride of all glory,
    to dishonor all the honored of the earth.
¹⁰ Overflow your land like the Nile,
    O daughter of Tarshish;
    there is no restraint any more.
¹¹ He has stretched out his hand over the sea,
    he has shaken the kingdoms;
the Lord has given command concerning Canaan
    to destroy its strongholds.
¹² And he said:
“You will no more exult,
    O oppressed virgin daughter of Sidon;
arise, pass over to Cyprus,
    even there you will have no rest.”

¹⁴ Wail, O ships of Tarshish,
    for your stronghold is laid waste.

¹⁶ “Take a harp,
    go about the city,
    O forgotten harlot!
Make sweet melody,
    sing many songs,
    that you may be remembered.”