A Prophecy Against Cush

18 Woe(A) to the land of whirring wings[a]
    along the rivers of Cush,[b](B)
which sends envoys(C) by sea
    in papyrus(D) boats over the water.

Go, swift messengers,
to a people tall and smooth-skinned,(E)
    to a people feared far and wide,
an aggressive(F) nation of strange speech,
    whose land is divided by rivers.(G)

All you people of the world,(H)
    you who live on the earth,
when a banner(I) is raised on the mountains,
    you will see it,
and when a trumpet(J) sounds,
    you will hear it.
This is what the Lord says to me:
    “I will remain quiet(K) and will look on from my dwelling place,(L)
like shimmering heat in the sunshine,(M)
    like a cloud of dew(N) in the heat of harvest.”
For, before the harvest, when the blossom is gone
    and the flower becomes a ripening grape,
he will cut off(O) the shoots with pruning knives,
    and cut down and take away the spreading branches.(P)
They will all be left to the mountain birds of prey(Q)
    and to the wild animals;(R)
the birds will feed on them all summer,
    the wild animals all winter.

At that time gifts(S) will be brought to the Lord Almighty

from a people tall and smooth-skinned,(T)
    from a people feared(U) far and wide,
an aggressive nation of strange speech,
    whose land is divided by rivers(V)

the gifts will be brought to Mount Zion, the place of the Name of the Lord Almighty.(W)

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 18:1 Or of locusts
  2. Isaiah 18:1 That is, the upper Nile region

古实之民英勇可畏

18 唉!古实河外翅膀刷刷响声之地, 差遣使者在水面上,坐蒲草船过海。先知说:“你们快行的使者,要到高大光滑的民那里去,自从开国以来那民极其可畏,是分地界践踏人的,他们的地有江河分开。” 世上一切的居民和地上所住的人哪,山上竖立大旗的时候,你们要看!吹角的时候,你们要听!

奉礼于耶和华

耶和华对我这样说:“我要安静,在我的居所观看,如同日光中的清热,又如露水的云雾在收割的热天。” 收割之先,花开已谢,花也成了将熟的葡萄,他必用镰刀削去嫩枝,又砍掉蔓延的枝条。 都要撇给山间的鸷鸟和地上的野兽,夏天鸷鸟要宿在其上,冬天野兽都卧在其中。 到那时,这高大光滑的民,就是从开国以来极其可畏,分地界践踏人的,他们的地有江河分开,他们必将礼物奉给万军之耶和华,就是奉到锡安山,耶和华安置他名的地方。

An Oracle Concerning Cush

18 Ah, land of (A)whirring wings
    that is beyond the rivers of (B)Cush,[a]
which (C)sends ambassadors by the sea,
    in vessels of papyrus on the waters!
Go, you swift messengers,
    to a nation (D)tall and smooth,
to a people feared near and far,
    a nation (E)mighty and conquering,
    whose land the rivers divide.

All you inhabitants of the world,
    you who dwell on the earth,
when (F)a signal is raised on the mountains, look!
    When a trumpet is blown, hear!
For thus the Lord said to me:
“I will quietly look (G)from my dwelling
    like clear heat in sunshine,
    like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.”
(H)For before the harvest, when the blossom is over,
    and the flower becomes a ripening grape,
he cuts off the shoots with pruning hooks,
    and the spreading branches he lops off and clears away.
(I)They shall all of them be left
    to the birds of prey of the mountains
    and to the beasts of the earth.
And the birds of prey will summer on them,
    and all the beasts of the earth will winter on them.

(J)At that time tribute will be brought to the Lord of hosts

from a people (K)tall and smooth,
    from a people feared near and far,
a nation mighty and conquering,
    whose land the rivers divide,

to (L)Mount Zion, the place of the (M)name of the Lord of hosts.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 18:1 Probably Nubia