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TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 23

Translation and Transliteration of 

1The “Tyre” Pronouncement. Howl, you ships of Tarshish! For havoc has been wrought, not a house is left; As they came from the land of Kittim, This was revealed to them.

ma-SA tzor, hay-LEE-lu, o-nee-YOT tar-SHEESH, kee-shu-DAD mi-ba-YEET, mi-BO, may-E-retz ki-TEEM, nig-LAH-la-MO

אמַשָּׂ֖א צֹ֑ר הֵילִ֣ילוּ ׀ אֳנִיּ֣וֹת תַּרְשִׁ֗ישׁ כִּֽי־שֻׁדַּ֤ד מִבַּ֙יִת֙ מִבּ֔וֹא מֵאֶ֥רֶץ כִּתִּ֖ים נִגְלָה־לָֽמוֹ׃

2Moan, you coastland dwellers, You traders of Sidon, Once thronged by seafarers,

DO-mu yo-SHE-vei i, so-CHEIR tzi-DON o-VEIR yam mil-UKH

בדֹּ֖מּוּ יֹ֣שְׁבֵי אִ֑י סֹחֵ֥ר צִיד֛וֹן עֹבֵ֥ר יָ֖ם מִלְאֽוּךְ׃

3Over many waters Your revenue came: From the trade of nations, From the grain of Shihor, The harvest of the Nile.

u-ve-MA-yim ra-BEEM ZE-rar shi-KHOR k'-TZIR ye-OR te-vu-A-tah va-te-HEE se-KHAR go-YEEM

גוּבְמַ֤יִם רַבִּים֙ זֶ֣רַע שִׁחֹ֔ר קְצִ֥יר יְא֖וֹר תְּבוּאָתָ֑הּ וַתְּהִ֖י סְחַ֥ר גּוֹיִֽם׃

4Be ashamed, O Sidon! For the sea—this stronghold of the sea—declares, “I am as one who has never labored, Never given birth, Never raised youths Or reared maidens!”

BO-shi tzi-DON, kee-a-MAR yam ma-OZ ha-YAM lay-MOR: lo-KHAL-tee v'-lo-ya-LAD-tee v'-lo gi-DAL-tee ba-KHU-rim ro-MA-m'-TEE b'-tu-LOT

דבּ֣וֹשִׁי צִיד֔וֹן כִּֽי־אָמַ֣ר יָ֔ם מָע֥וֹז הַיָּ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר לֹא־חַ֣לְתִּי וְלֹֽא־יָלַ֗דְתִּי וְלֹ֥א גִדַּ֛לְתִּי בַּחוּרִ֖ים רוֹמַ֥מְתִּי בְתוּלֽוֹת׃

5When the Egyptians heard it, they quailed As when they heard about Tyre.

ka-a-SHER she-MA l'-mitz-RA-yim ya-KHEE-lu k'-she-MA tzor

הכַּאֲשֶׁר־שֵׁ֖מַע לְמִצְרָ֑יִם יָחִ֖ילוּ כְּשֵׁ֥מַע צֹֽר׃

6Pass on to Tarshish— Howl, you coastland dwellers!

i-V'-RU tar-shi-SHA, hay-LEE-lo yo-SHE-vay EE

ועִבְר֖וּ תַּרְשִׁ֑ישָׁה הֵילִ֖ילוּ יֹ֥שְׁבֵי אִֽי׃

7Was such your merry city In former times, of yore? Did her feet carry her off To sojourn far away?

ha-ZOT la-KHEM a-li-ZAH, mi-MEI-ke-DEM kad-ma-TAH, yo-VI-lu-HA rag-le-HA, me-ra-KHOK la-GUR.

זהֲזֹ֥את לָכֶ֖ם עַלִּיזָ֑ה מִֽימֵי־קֶ֤דֶם קַדְמָתָהּ֙ יֹבִל֣וּהָ רַגְלֶ֔יהָ מֵרָח֖וֹק לָגֽוּר׃

8Who was it that planned this For crown-wearing Tyre, Whose merchants were nobles, Whose traders the world honored?

mee ya-ATZ zo-TA al-TZOR ha-ma-a-tee-RAH a-SHER so-KHA-re-HA sa-REEM k'-na-a-NE-ha nikh-ba-DEI a-RETZ

חמִ֚י יָעַ֣ץ זֹ֔את עַל־צֹ֖ר הַמַּעֲטִירָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר סֹחֲרֶ֙יהָ֙ שָׂרִ֔ים כִּנְעָנֶ֖יהָ נִכְבַּדֵּי־אָֽרֶץ׃

9The lord of Hosts planned it— To defile all glorious beauty, To shame all the honored of the world.

a-do-NAI tz'-va-OT y'-a-TZAH l'-kha-LAYL g'-ON kol tz'-VEE l'-ha-KAYL kol nikh-ba-day A-retz

טיְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת יְעָצָ֑הּ לְחַלֵּל֙ גְּא֣וֹן כׇּל־צְבִ֔י לְהָקֵ֖ל כׇּל־נִכְבַּדֵּי־אָֽרֶץ׃

23:9   To defile all glorious beauty

Yeshayahu concludes his prophecies against the nations with a description of the impending downfall of Tyre. Just as Babylon and Assyria represented the pinnacle of military might in the ancient world, Tyre represented the height of commercial power and riches. Based on the coast of what is today Lebanon, Tyre established trading colonies throughout the Mediterranean Sea, as far away as Spain. Verses 1-7 describe how the shocking news of Tyre’s downfall would reverberate throughout the ancient world. Yeshayahu places the blame for the downfall on Tyre’s sense of pride; rather than being thankful to Hashem who granted them riches, they viewed themselves as a great power. This idea of pride is a common theme throughout the prophecies of Yeshayahu. In chapter 2, he describes the pride of Israel as being the source of their sins which ultimately lead to their exile. When humanity abandons its arrogance and recognizes God’s goodness, He will again reveal Himself to the world.

10Traverse your land like the Nile, Fair Tarshish; This is a harbor no more.

eev-REE ar-TZEKH ka-y'-OR bat-TAR-sheesh AYN may-ZAKH OD

יעִבְרִ֥י אַרְצֵ֖ךְ כַּיְאֹ֑ר בַּת־תַּרְשִׁ֕ישׁ אֵ֖ין מֵ֥זַח עֽוֹד׃

11Hashem poised His arm o'er the sea And made kingdoms quake; It was He decreed destruction For Phoenicia's strongholds,

ya-DO na-TAH al ha-YAM hir-GEEZ mam-la-KHOT a-do-NAI tzi-VA el k'-NA-an lash-MID ma-uZ-ne-HA

יאיָדוֹ֙ נָטָ֣ה עַל־הַיָּ֔ם הִרְגִּ֖יז מַמְלָכ֑וֹת יְהֹוָה֙ צִוָּ֣ה אֶל־כְּנַ֔עַן לַשְׁמִ֖ד מָעֻזְנֶֽיהָ׃

12And said, “You shall be gay no more, O plundered one, Fair Maiden Sidon. Up, cross over to Kittim— Even there you shall have no rest.”

vai-YO-mer, lo to-SEE-fee OD la-a-LOZ, ha-m'-u-sha-KAH b'-tu-LAT bat tzi-DON (ki-TAY-im) [ki-TIM], ku-MI a-VO-ree, gam-SHAM lo ya-NU-akh LAKH

יבוַיֹּ֕אמֶר לֹא־תוֹסִ֥יפִי ע֖וֹד לַעְל֑וֹז הַֽמְעֻשָּׁקָ֞ה בְּתוּלַ֣ת בַּת־צִיד֗וֹן (כתיים) [כִּתִּים֙] ק֣וּמִי עֲבֹ֔רִי גַּם־שָׁ֖ם לֹא־יָנ֥וּחַֽ לָֽךְ׃

13Behold the land of Chaldea— This is the people that has ceased to be. Assyria, which founded it for ships, Which raised its watchtowers, Erected its ramparts, Has turned it into a ruin.

HEN E-retz kas-DEEM ZEH ha-AM lo ha-YA a-SHUR ye-sa-DAH l'-tzi-YEEM he-KI-mu (ba-KHU-na-YAV) [ba-KHU-na-YAV] o-r'-RU ar-m'-no-TE-ha sa-MAH l'-ma-pe-LAH

יגהֵ֣ן ׀ אֶ֣רֶץ כַּשְׂדִּ֗ים זֶ֤ה הָעָם֙ לֹ֣א הָיָ֔ה אַשּׁ֖וּר יְסָדָ֣הּ לְצִיִּ֑ים הֵקִ֣ימוּ (בחיניו) [בַחוּנָ֗יו] עֽוֹרְרוּ֙ אַרְמְנוֹתֶ֔יהָ שָׂמָ֖הּ לְמַפֵּלָֽה׃

14Howl, O ships of Tarshish, For your stronghold is destroyed!

hey-lee-LOO o-nee-YOT tar-SHEESH kee shu-DAD ma-u-ZE-khen

ידהֵילִ֖ילוּ אֳנִיּ֣וֹת תַּרְשִׁ֑ישׁ כִּ֥י שֻׁדַּ֖ד מָעֻזְּכֶֽן׃

15In that day, Tyre shall remain forgotten for seventy years, equaling the lifetime of one king. After a lapse of seventy years, it shall go with Tyre as with the harlot in the ditty:

v'-ha-YA ba-YOM ha-HU v'-nish-KA-khat TZOR shi-V'EEM sha-NAH ki-MAY me-LEKH e-KHAD mi-KETZ shi-V'EEM sha-NAH yi-HE-yeh l'-TZOR k'-shi-RAT ha-ZO-NAH

טווְהָיָה֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא וְנִשְׁכַּ֤חַת צֹר֙ שִׁבְעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה כִּימֵ֖י מֶ֣לֶךְ אֶחָ֑ד מִקֵּ֞ץ שִׁבְעִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ יִהְיֶ֣ה לְצֹ֔ר כְּשִׁירַ֖ת הַזּוֹנָֽה׃

16Take a lyre, go about the town, Harlot long forgotten; Sweetly play, make much music, To bring you back to mind.

k'-khi KI-nor so-BI ir zo-NAH nish-KA-khah, hee-TEE-vee na-GAYN har-BI-SHIR l'-ma-an tiz-za-KE-ree

טזקְחִ֥י כִנּ֛וֹר סֹ֥בִּי עִ֖יר זוֹנָ֣ה נִשְׁכָּחָ֑ה הֵיטִ֤יבִי נַגֵּן֙ הַרְבִּי־שִׁ֔יר לְמַ֖עַן תִּזָּכֵֽרִי׃

17For after a lapse of seventy years, Hashem will take note of Tyre, and she shall resume her “fee-taking” and “play the harlot” with all the kingdoms of the world, on the face of the earth.

v'-ha-YA mi-KETZ shi-VI-im sha-NAH yif-KOD a-do-NAI et-TSOR v'-sha-VAH l'-et-na-NAH, v'-zo-NE-tah et-KOL mam-l'-KHOT ha-A-retz al p'-NAY ha-a-da-MAH

יזוְהָיָ֞ה מִקֵּ֣ץ ׀ שִׁבְעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֗ה יִפְקֹ֤ד יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־צֹ֔ר וְשָׁבָ֖ה לְאֶתְנַנָּ֑הֿ וְזָנְתָ֛ה אֶת־כׇּל־מַמְלְכ֥וֹת הָאָ֖רֶץ עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָֽה׃

18But her profits and “hire” shall be consecrated to Hashem. They shall not be treasured or stored; rather shall her profits go to those who abide before Hashem, that they may eat their fill and clothe themselves elegantly.

v'-ha-YA sa-KHAH v'-et-na-NAH k'-DASH la-a-do-NAI lo ye-a-TZER v'-lo ye-KHA-sen, kee la-yo-sh'-VEEM lif-NAY a-do-NAI yi-HE-yah sa-KHAH le-E-khol l'-sa-va-AH v'-lim-KA-seh a-TIK.

יחוְהָיָ֨ה סַחְרָ֜הּ וְאֶתְנַנָּ֗הּ קֹ֚דֶשׁ לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה לֹ֥א יֵאָצֵ֖ר וְלֹ֣א יֵחָסֵ֑ן כִּ֣י לַיֹּשְׁבִ֞ים לִפְנֵ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ יִהְיֶ֣ה סַחְרָ֔הּ לֶֽאֱכֹ֥ל לְשׇׂבְעָ֖ה וְלִמְכַסֶּ֥ה עָתִֽיק׃