A Lament for Egypt
בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם הִנָּבֵא֙ וְאָ֣מַרְתָּ֔ כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֖ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֑ה הֵילִ֖ילוּ הָ֥הּ לַיּֽוֹם׃
“Son of man, prophesy and declare that this is what the Lord GOD says: Wail, ‘Alas for that day!’
כִּֽי־קָר֣וֹב י֔וֹם וְקָר֥וֹב י֖וֹם לַֽיהוָ֑ה י֣וֹם עָנָ֔ן עֵ֥ת גּוֹיִ֖ם יִֽהְיֶֽה׃
For the day is near, the Day of the LORD is near. It will be a day of clouds, a time of doom for the nations.
וּבָאָ֥ה חֶ֙רֶב֙ בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם וְהָיְתָ֤ה חַלְחָלָה֙ בְּכ֔וּשׁ בִּנְפֹ֥ל חָלָ֖ל בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם וְלָקְח֣וּ הֲמוֹנָ֔הּ וְנֶהֶרְס֖וּ יְסוֹדֹתֶֽיהָ׃
A sword will come against Egypt, and there will be anguish in Cush when the slain fall in Egypt, its wealth is taken away, and its foundations are torn down.
כּ֣וּשׁ וּפ֤וּט וְלוּד֙ וְכָל־הָעֶ֣רֶב וְכ֔וּב וּבְנֵ֖י אֶ֣רֶץ הַבְּרִ֑ית אִתָּ֖ם בַּחֶ֥רֶב יִפֹּֽלוּ׃ פ
Cush, Put, and Lud, and all the various peoples, as well as Libya and the men of the covenant land, will fall with Egypt by the sword.
כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה וְנָֽפְלוּ֙ סֹמְכֵ֣י מִצְרַ֔יִם וְיָרַ֖ד גְּא֣וֹן עֻזָּ֑הּ מִמִּגְדֹּ֣ל סְוֵנֵ֗ה בַּחֶ֙רֶב֙ יִפְּלוּ־בָ֔הּ נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֽה׃
For this is what the LORD says: The allies of Egypt will fall, and her proud strength will collapse. From Migdol to Syene they will fall by the sword within her, declares the Lord GOD.
וְנָשַׁ֕מּוּ בְּת֖וֹךְ אֲרָצ֣וֹת נְשַׁמּ֑וֹת וְעָרָ֕יו בְּתוֹךְ־עָרִ֥ים נַחֲרָב֖וֹת תִּֽהְיֶֽינָה׃
They will be desolate among desolate lands, and their cities will lie among ruined cities.
וְיָדְע֖וּ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֑ה בְּתִתִּי־אֵ֣שׁ בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם וְנִשְׁבְּר֖וּ כָּל־עֹזְרֶֽיהָ׃
Then they will know that I am the LORD when I set fire to Egypt and all her helpers are shattered.
בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא יֵצְא֨וּ מַלְאָכִ֤ים מִלְּפָנַי֙ בַּצִּ֔ים לְהַחֲרִ֖יד אֶת־כּ֣וּשׁ בֶּ֑טַח וְהָיְתָ֨ה חַלְחָלָ֤ה בָהֶם֙ בְּי֣וֹם מִצְרַ֔יִם כִּ֥י הִנֵּ֖ה בָּאָֽה׃ ס
On that day messengers will go out from Me in ships to frighten Cush out of complacency. Anguish will come upon them on the day of Egypt’s doom. For it is indeed coming.
כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֖ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֑ה וְהִשְׁבַּתִּי֙ אֶת־הֲמ֣וֹן מִצְרַ֔יִם בְּיַ֖ד נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֥ר מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶֽל׃
This is what the Lord GOD says: I will put an end to the hordes of Egypt by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.
ה֠וּא וְעַמּ֤וֹ אִתּוֹ֙ עָרִיצֵ֣י גוֹיִ֔ם מֽוּבָאִ֖ים לְשַׁחֵ֣ת הָאָ֑רֶץ וְהֵרִ֤יקוּ חַרְבוֹתָם֙ עַל־מִצְרַ֔יִם וּמָלְא֥וּ אֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ חָלָֽל׃
He and his people with him, the most ruthless of the nations, will be brought in to destroy the land. They will draw their swords against Egypt and fill the land with the slain.
וְנָתַתִּ֤י יְאֹרִים֙ חָֽרָבָ֔ה וּמָכַרְתִּ֥י אֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ בְּיַד־רָעִ֑ים וַהֲשִׁמֹּתִ֞י אֶ֤רֶץ וּמְלֹאָהּ֙ בְּיַד־זָרִ֔ים אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה דִּבַּֽרְתִּי׃ ס
I will make the streams dry up and sell the land to the wicked. By the hands of foreigners I will bring desolation upon the land and everything in it. I, the LORD, have spoken.
כֹּֽה־אָמַ֞ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֗ה וְהַאֲבַדְתִּ֨י גִלּוּלִ֜ים וְהִשְׁבַּתִּ֤י אֱלִילִים֙ מִנֹּ֔ף וְנָשִׂ֥יא מֵאֶֽרֶץ־מִצְרַ֖יִם לֹ֣א יִֽהְיֶה־ע֑וֹד וְנָתַתִּ֥י יִרְאָ֖ה בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
This is what the Lord GOD says: I will destroy the idols and put an end to the images in Memphis. There will no longer be a prince in Egypt, and I will instill fear in that land.
וַהֲשִׁמֹּתִי֙ אֶת־פַּתְר֔וֹס וְנָתַ֥תִּי אֵ֖שׁ בְּצֹ֑עַן וְעָשִׂ֥יתִי שְׁפָטִ֖ים בְּנֹֽא׃
I will lay waste Pathros, set fire to Zoan, and execute judgment on Thebes.
וְשָׁפַכְתִּ֣י חֲמָתִ֔י עַל־סִ֖ין מָע֣וֹז מִצְרָ֑יִם וְהִכְרַתִּ֖י אֶת־הֲמ֥וֹן נֹֽא׃
I will pour out My wrath on Pelusium, the stronghold of Egypt, and cut off the crowds of Thebes.
וְנָתַ֤תִּי אֵשׁ֙ בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם ח֤וּל תָּחוּל֙ סִ֔ין וְנֹ֖א תִּהְיֶ֣ה לְהִבָּקֵ֑עַ וְנֹ֖ף צָרֵ֥י יוֹמָֽם׃
I will set fire to Egypt, Pelusium will writhe in anguish, Thebes will be split open, and Memphis will face daily distress.
בַּח֥וּרֵי אָ֛וֶן וּפִי־בֶ֖סֶת בַּחֶ֣רֶב יִפֹּ֑לוּ וְהֵ֖נָּה בַּשְּׁבִ֥י תֵלַֽכְנָה׃
The young men of On and Pi-beseth will fall by the sword, and those cities will go into captivity.
וּבִֽתְחַפְנְחֵס֙ חָשַׂ֣ךְ הַיּ֔וֹם בְּשִׁבְרִי־שָׁם֙ אֶת־מֹט֣וֹת מִצְרַ֔יִם וְנִשְׁבַּת־בָּ֖הּ גְּא֣וֹן עֻזָּ֑הּ הִ֚יא עָנָ֣ן יְכַסֶּ֔נָּה וּבְנוֹתֶ֖יהָ בַּשְּׁבִ֥י תֵלַֽכְנָה׃
The day will be darkened in Tahpanhes when I break the yoke of Egypt and her proud strength comes to an end. A cloud will cover her, and her daughters will go into captivity.
וְעָשִׂ֥יתִי שְׁפָטִ֖ים בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם וְיָדְע֖וּ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ פ
So I will execute judgment on Egypt, and they will know that I am the LORD.”
Pharaoh’s Power Broken
וַיְהִ֗י בְּאַחַ֤ת עֶשְׂרֵה֙ שָׁנָ֔ה בָּֽרִאשׁ֖וֹן בְּשִׁבְעָ֣ה לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ הָיָ֥ה דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃
In the eleventh year, on the seventh day of the first month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם אֶת־זְר֛וֹעַ פַּרְעֹ֥ה מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֖יִם שָׁבָ֑רְתִּי וְהִנֵּ֣ה לֹֽא־חֻ֠בְּשָׁה לָתֵ֨ת רְפֻא֜וֹת לָשׂ֥וּם חִתּ֛וּל לְחָבְשָׁ֥הּ לְחָזְקָ֖הּ לִתְפֹּ֥שׂ בֶּחָֽרֶב׃ ס
“Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt. See, it has not been bound up for healing, or splinted for strength to hold the sword.
לָכֵ֞ן כֹּה־אָמַ֣ר׀ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהֹוִ֗ה הִנְנִי֙ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֣ה מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֔יִם וְשָֽׁבַרְתִּי֙ אֶת־זְרֹ֣עֹתָ֔יו אֶת־הַחֲזָקָ֖ה וְאֶת־הַנִּשְׁבָּ֑רֶת וְהִפַּלְתִּ֥י אֶת־הַחֶ֖רֶב מִיָּדֽוֹ׃
Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: Behold, I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt. I will break his arms, both the strong one and the one already broken, and will make the sword fall from his hand.
וַהֲפִצוֹתִ֥י אֶת־מִצְרַ֖יִם בַּגּוֹיִ֑ם וְזֵרִיתִ֖ם בָּאֲרָצֽוֹת׃
I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them throughout the lands.
וְחִזַּקְתִּ֗י אֶת־זְרֹעוֹת֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ בָּבֶ֔ל וְנָתַתִּ֥י אֶת־חַרְבִּ֖י בְּיָד֑וֹ וְשָׁבַרְתִּי֙ אֶת־זְרֹע֣וֹת פַּרְעֹ֔ה וְנָאַ֛ק נַאֲק֥וֹת חָלָ֖ל לְפָנָֽיו׃
I will strengthen the arms of Babylon’s king and place My sword in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, who will groan before him like a mortally wounded man.
וְהַחֲזַקְתִּ֗י אֶת־זְרֹעוֹת֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ בָּבֶ֔ל וּזְרֹע֥וֹת פַּרְעֹ֖ה תִּפֹּ֑לְנָה וְֽיָדְע֞וּ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֗ה בְּתִתִּ֤י חַרְבִּי֙ בְּיַ֣ד מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֔ל וְנָטָ֥ה אוֹתָ֖הּ אֶל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
I will strengthen the arms of Babylon’s king, but Pharaoh’s arms will fall limp. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I place My sword in the hand of Babylon’s king, and he wields it against the land of Egypt.
וַהֲפִצוֹתִ֤י אֶת־מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ בַּגּוֹיִ֔ם וְזֵרִיתִ֥י אוֹתָ֖ם בָּאֲרָצ֑וֹת וְיָדְע֖וּ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ ס
I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them throughout the lands. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”