Isaiah 23

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

Wail, O ships of Tarshish,
    for your fortress is destroyed.^[a]
When they came in from Cyprus
    they learned of it.^(A)
2 Be still, O inhabitants of the coast,
    O merchants of Sidon;
your messengers crossed over the sea^[b](B)
3     and were on the mighty waters;
your revenue^[c] was the grain of Shihor,
    the harvest of the Nile;
    you were the merchant of the nations.^(C)
4 Be ashamed, O Sidon, for the sea has spoken,
    the fortress of the sea, saying:
“I have neither labored nor given birth;
    I have neither reared young men
    nor brought up young women.”^(D)
5 When the report comes to Egypt,
    they will be in anguish over the report about Tyre.
⁶ Cross 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 far away?^(E)
8 Who has planned 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 planned it—
    to defile the pride of all glory,
    to shame all the honored of the earth.^(F)
10 Cross over to your own land,
    O ships of^[d] Tarshish;
    this is a harbor^[e] no 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 fortresses.^(G)
12 He said:
“You will exult no longer,
    O oppressed virgin daughter Sidon;
rise, cross over to Cyprus—
    even there you will have no rest.”^(H)

¹⁴ Wail, O ships of Tarshish,
    for your fortress is destroyed.^(J)

¹⁶ Take a harp;
    go about the city,
    you forgotten prostitute!
Make sweet melody;
    sing many songs,
    that you may be remembered.