Study

Lamentation over Tyre

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The word of the L ord came to me: ²Now you, mortal, raise a lamentation over Tyre, ³and say to Tyre, which sits at the entrance to the sea, merchant of the peoples on many coastlands, Thus says the Lord G od:

O Tyre, you have said,

“I am perfect in beauty.”

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Your borders are in the heart of the seas;

your builders made perfect your beauty.

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They made all your planks

of fir trees from Senir;

they took a cedar from Lebanon

to make a mast for you.

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From oaks of Bashan

they made your oars;

they made your deck of pines

from the coasts of Cyprus,

inlaid with ivory.

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Of fine embroidered linen from Egypt

was your sail,

serving as your ensign;

blue and purple from the coasts of Elishah

was your awning.

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The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad

were your rowers;

skilled men of Zemer were within you,

they were your pilots.

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The elders of Gebal and its artisans were within you,

caulking your seams;

all the ships of the sea with their mariners were within you,

to barter for your wares.

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Paras and Lud and Put

were in your army,

your mighty warriors;

they hung shield and helmet in you;

they gave you splendor.

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Men of Arvad and Helech

were on your walls all around;

men of Gamad were at your towers.

They hung their quivers all around your walls;

they made perfect your beauty.

¹² Tarshish did business with you out of the abundance of your great wealth; silver, iron, tin, and lead they exchanged for your wares. ¹³Javan, Tubal, and Meshech traded with you; they exchanged human beings and vessels of bronze for your merchandise. ¹⁴Beth-togarmah exchanged for your wares horses, war horses, and mules. ¹⁵The Rhodians traded with you; many coastlands were your own special markets; they brought you in payment ivory tusks and ebony. ¹⁶Edom did business with you because of your abundant goods; they exchanged for your wares turquoise, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral, and rubies. ¹⁷Judah and the land of Israel traded with you; they exchanged for your merchandise wheat from Minnith, millet, honey, oil, and balm. ¹⁸Damascus traded with you for your abundant goods—because of your great wealth of every kind—wine of Helbon, and white wool. ¹⁹Vedan and Javan from Uzal entered into trade for your wares; wrought iron, cassia, and sweet cane were bartered for your merchandise. ²⁰Dedan traded with you in saddlecloths for riding. ²¹Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your favored dealers in lambs, rams, and goats; in these they did business with you. ²²The merchants of Sheba and Raamah traded with you; they exchanged for your wares the best of all kinds of spices, and all precious stones, and gold. ²³Haran, Canneh, Eden, the merchants of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad traded with you. ²⁴These traded with you in choice garments, in clothes of blue and embroidered work, and in carpets of colored material, bound with cords and made secure; in these they traded with you. ²⁵The ships of Tarshish traveled for you in your trade.

So you were filled and heavily laden

in the heart of the seas.

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Your rowers have brought you

into the high seas.

The east wind has wrecked you

in the heart of the seas.

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Your riches, your wares, your merchandise,

your mariners and your pilots,

your caulkers, your dealers in merchandise,

and all your warriors within you,

with all the company

that is with you,

sink into the heart of the seas

on the day of your ruin.

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At the sound of the cry of your pilots

the countryside shakes,

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and down from their ships

come all that handle the oar.

The mariners and all the pilots of the sea

stand on the shore

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and wail aloud over you,

and cry bitterly.

They throw dust on their heads

and wallow in ashes;

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they make themselves bald for you,

and put on sackcloth,

and they weep over you in bitterness of soul,

with bitter mourning.

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In their wailing they raise a lamentation for you,

and lament over you:

“Who was ever destroyed like Tyre

in the midst of the sea?

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When your wares came from the seas,

you satisfied many peoples;

with your abundant wealth and merchandise

you enriched the kings of the earth.

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Now you are wrecked by the seas,

in the depths of the waters;

your merchandise and all your crew

have sunk with you.

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All the inhabitants of the coastlands

are appalled at you;

and their kings are horribly afraid,

their faces are convulsed.

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The merchants among the peoples hiss at you;

you have come to a dreadful end

and shall be no more forever.”