A Message Condemning Tyre

1This message came to me from the LORD: 2“Son of Man, compose a mourning song for Tyre. 3Tell Tyre, who lives at the gateway to the Mediterraneana Sea, who serves as the international merchant to many coastal districts: ‘This is what the Lord GOD says:

“Tyre, you’ve been claiming,

“I am beauty perfected.’

4You’ve set your national boundary in international waters.

Your builders made you downright beautiful!”’”b

Tyre’s Luxurious Sailing Vessels

5‘They brought in a ship

made with pine planking from Senir,

configured with a mast carved from a cedar from Lebanon,

6equipped with oars

made from oaks from Bashan,

with ivory-inlaid cypress woodc decking

imported from the coastlands of Cypress,

7with sails made with embroidered Egyptian linen,

festooned with blue banners,

and with your sun shades made

with purple cloth from Cypress.

8Your sailors were conscripted

from Sidon and Arvad,

and your officers served aboard

as pilots.

9The wise men and elders from Gebal accompanied you,

serving as ship’s carpenters.

All the maritime navies and their seaman also accompanied you

to assist you in doing business internationally.”

Tyre’s International Makeup

10“Soldiers from Persia,d Lud,e and Libya,f

served in your army.

They were your mighty soldiers.

Their helmets and shields adorned your barracks walls,

and they won battle decorations for you.

11Mercenaries from Arvad and Helech

stood guard duty on your walls,

while brave men manned your towers.

They hung their shields all around your walls—

just the right touch to perfect your interior decorating!”g

Tyre’s Trading Partners

12‘Tarshish was your business partner because of your phenomenal wealth. They traded silver, iron, tin, and lead for your merchandise. 13Greece, Tubal,h and Meshechi bartered with you, exchanging slaves and bronze vessels for your wares. 14Beth-togarmah traded horses, war horses, and mules in exchange for what you had to sell. 15Men from the low country south of Edomj and many of the coastlands were your markets for ivory tusks and ebony that they brought to trade with you.

16“Aram was one of your customers because you had so much merchandise. They paid by trading turquoise, purple yarn, embroidered goods, Egyptian linen,k coral, and rubies. 17The territories of Judah and Israel were your clients, too. They traded wheat from their distribution centers,l baked goods, honey, oil, and ointments for your merchandise.

18“Because you have so much to sell and are so rich, Damascus has been your trading partner, exchanging wine from Helbon, unbleached wool, 19and casks of wine from Izalm for your wrought iron, cassia wood, and aromatic reeds.

20“Dedan traded with you, exchanging riding blankets. 21Arabia, including all the princes of Kedar, came to you, shopping for lambs, rams, and goats. 22Traders from Sheba and Raamah paid for the best of what you had to offer with all types of spices, precious stones, and gold. 23Haran, Canneh, Eden,n merchants from Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad did business with you, 24trading garments made into the finest blue and embroidered mantels, and also multi-colored carpets, ropes, and other merchandise. 25Ocean-going fleetso carried your merchandise.”

Tyre’s Coming Storm

“How filled you were!

How glorious you were,

at home in the heart of the sea!

26But your rowers have brought you

into dangerous waters.

The east wind has broken you

in the heart of the ocean!

27Your wealth, your products, your merchandise

your sailors, your pilots,

your tailors, your salesmen,

all your mercenaries with you—

your entire company with you—

will fall into the midst of the sea

on the day when you’re overthrown!

28When your ships’ captains cry out,

the pasturelands along the coast will cry out!

29Everyone who handles an oar will abandon ship,

they’ll head straight for dry land,

30and they will cry so loud

you won’t be able to make yourself heard!

How bitterly they’ll cry!

They’ll throw dust on their heads

and wallow in ashes.

31They’ll shave their heads bald because of you.

They’ll dress themselves in sackcloth

and weep for you with deep bitterness of heart,

with the most pitiful of mourning.

32In the depth of their despair

they’ll compose a lament for you.

This is what they’ll say:

‘Who is like Tyre?

Who is so silent in the midst of the sea?’

33Your merchandise went out over the oceans

to satisfy many nations;

with the abundance of your wealth

you enriched the kings of the earth.

34“But now it’s your time to be wrecked

at the bottom of the sea!

Your products and your workers have sunk,

and so have you!

35Everyone who lives by the sea

is appalled at your destruction.

Their leaders are terrified—

their faces reflect their fears!

36Traders circulate among the people, hissing at you.

What a horror you’ve become!

Now you will cease to exist

forever and ever!”