Isaiah 23

Easy-to-Read Version

Ships traveling from Cyprus heard this message:
    “Cry, you ships from Tarshish^[b]!
    Your harbor has been destroyed.”

² You people living near the sea, mourn in silence.
    The merchants of Sidon sent traders across the sea
    and filled the city with riches.
³ They traveled the seas looking for grain.
    The men from Tyre bought grain that grows near the Nile River
    and sold it to other nations.

⁴ Sidon, you should be very sad,
    because now the Sea and the Fort of the Sea^[c] say,
“I have no children.
    I have never felt the pain of birth;
I have never given birth to children.
    I have never raised young men and women.”

⁵ When Egypt hears the news about Tyre,
    it will feel the pain of sorrow.
⁶ You ships, try to escape to Tarshish!
    Cry out, you people living near the sea!
⁷ Can this be that happy city that was founded so long ago?
    Is it that same city whose people traveled so far to settle other lands?^[d]
8 This city produced so many leaders.
    Its merchants were like princes.
Its traders had the whole world’s respect.
    So who made these plans against Tyre?
⁹ It was the Lord All-Powerful.
    He decided to destroy the great things they were so proud of.
    He wanted to disgrace those who were so highly respected.
¹⁰ Ships from Tarshish, go back home.
    Cross the sea as if it were a river.
    No one will stop you now.
¹¹ The Lord raised his arm over the sea
    to make the kingdoms angry enough to fight against Tyre.
He commanded Canaan
    to destroy her place of safety.^[e]
12 He said, “Daughter Sidon,^[f] you have been hurt badly,
    so you will no longer rejoice like a bride.
Go ahead, go to Cyprus^[g] for help,
    but you will not find a place to rest there either.”
¹³ As for Babylon, look at the land of the Chaldeans!
    It is not even a country now.
Assyria built war towers to attack it.
    The soldiers took everything from the beautiful houses.
Assyria destroyed Babylon.
    They turned it into a pile of ruins
    and made it a place for wild animals.
¹⁴ So be sad, you ships from Tarshish.
    Your place of safety has been destroyed.

¹⁶ “Oh, woman who men forgot,
    take your harp and walk through the city.
Play your song well and sing it often.
    Maybe someone will remember you.”