Isaiah 19:7-11
Isaiah 19:5-15 The Message (MSG)
The River Nile will dry up, the riverbed baked dry in the sun. The canals will become stagnant and stink, every stream touching the Nile dry up. River vegetation will rot away the banks of the Nile-baked clay, The riverbed hard and smooth, river grasses dried up and gone with the wind. Fishermen will complain that the fishing’s been ruined. Textile workers will be out of work, all weavers and workers in linen and cotton and wool Dispirited, depressed in their forced idleness— everyone who works for a living, jobless. The princes of Zoan are fools, the advisors of Pharaoh stupid. How could any of you dare tell Pharaoh, “Trust me: I’m wise. I know what’s going on. Why, I’m descended from the old wisdom of Egypt”? There’s not a wise man or woman left in the country. If there were, one of them would tell you what GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies has in mind for Egypt. As it is, the princes of Zoan are all fools and the princes of Memphis, idiots. The honored pillars of your society have led Egypt into detours and dead ends. GOD has scrambled their brains, Egypt’s become a falling-down-in-his-own-vomit drunk. Egypt’s hopeless, past helping, a senile, doddering old fool. * * *
Isaiah 19:7-11 King James Version (KJV)
The paper reeds by the brooks, by the mouth of the brooks, and every thing sown by the brooks, shall wither, be driven away, and be no more. The fishers also shall mourn, and all they that cast angle into the brooks shall lament, and they that spread nets upon the waters shall languish. Moreover they that work in fine flax, and they that weave networks, shall be confounded. And they shall be broken in the purposes thereof, all that make sluices and ponds for fish. Surely the princes of Zoan are fools, the counsel of the wise counsellors of Pharaoh is become brutish: how say ye unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings?
Isaiah 19:7-11 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)
The bulrushes by the Nile, by the edge of the Nile And all the sown fields by the Nile Will become dry, be driven away, and be no more. And the fishermen will lament, And all those who cast a line into the Nile will mourn, And those who spread nets on the waters will pine away. Moreover, the manufacturers of linen made from combed flax And the weavers of white cloth will be utterly dejected. And the pillars of Egypt will be crushed; All the hired laborers will be grieved in soul. The princes of Zoan are mere fools; The advice of Pharaoh’s wisest advisers has become stupid. How can you men say to Pharaoh, “I am a son of the wise, a son of ancient kings”?
Isaiah 19:7-11 New Century Version (NCV)
all the plants along the banks of the Nile will die. Even the planted fields by the Nile will dry up, blow away, and disappear. The fishermen, all those who catch fish from the Nile, will groan and cry; those who fish in the Nile will be sad. All the people who make cloth from flax will be sad, and those who weave linen will lose hope. Those who weave cloth will be broken. All those who work for money will be sad. The officers of the city of Zoan are fools; the wise men who advise the king of Egypt give wrong advice. How can you say to him, ‘I am wise’? How can you say, ‘I am from the old family of the kings’?
Isaiah 19:7-11 American Standard Version (ASV)
The meadows by the Nile, by the brink of the Nile, and all the sown fields of the Nile, shall become dry, be driven away, and be no more. And the fishers shall lament, and all they that cast angle into the Nile shall mourn, and they that spread nets upon the waters shall languish. Moreover they that work in combed flax, and they that weave white cloth, shall be confounded. And the pillars of Egypt shall be broken in pieces; all they that work for hire shall be grieved in soul. The princes of Zoan are utterly foolish; the counsel of the wisest counsellors of Pharaoh is become brutish: how say ye unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings?
Isaiah 19:7-11 New International Version (NIV)
also the plants along the Nile, at the mouth of the river. Every sown field along the Nile will become parched, will blow away and be no more. The fishermen will groan and lament, all who cast hooks into the Nile; those who throw nets on the water will pine away. Those who work with combed flax will despair, the weavers of fine linen will lose hope. The workers in cloth will be dejected, and all the wage earners will be sick at heart. The officials of Zoan are nothing but fools; the wise counselors of Pharaoh give senseless advice. How can you say to Pharaoh, “I am one of the wise men, a disciple of the ancient kings”?
Isaiah 19:7-11 New King James Version (NKJV)
The papyrus reeds by the River, by the mouth of the River, And everything sown by the River, Will wither, be driven away, and be no more. The fishermen also will mourn; All those will lament who cast hooks into the River, And they will languish who spread nets on the waters. Moreover those who work in fine flax And those who weave fine fabric will be ashamed; And its foundations will be broken. All who make wages will be troubled of soul. Surely the princes of Zoan are fools; Pharaoh’s wise counselors give foolish counsel. How do you say to Pharaoh, “I am the son of the wise, The son of ancient kings?”
Isaiah 19:7-11 Amplified Bible (AMP)
The meadows by the Nile, by the edge of the Nile, And all the sown fields of the Nile Will become dry, be blown away, and be no more. The fishermen will lament (cry out in grief), And all those who cast a hook into the Nile will mourn, And those who spread nets upon the waters will languish. Moreover, those who make linen from combed flax And those who weave white cloth will be ashamed. [Those who are] the pillars and foundations of Egypt will be crushed; And all those who work for wages will be grieved in soul. The princes of Zoan are complete fools; The counsel of the Pharaoh’s wisest advisors has become stupid. How can you say to Pharaoh, “I am a son of the wise, a son of ancient kings?”
Isaiah 19:7-11 New Living Translation (NLT)
All the greenery along the riverbank and all the crops along the river will dry up and blow away. The fishermen will lament for lack of work. Those who cast hooks into the Nile will groan, and those who use nets will lose heart. There will be no flax for the harvesters, no thread for the weavers. They will be in despair, and all the workers will be sick at heart. What fools are the officials of Zoan! Their best counsel to the king of Egypt is stupid and wrong. Will they still boast to Pharaoh of their wisdom? Will they dare brag about all their wise ancestors?
Isaiah 19:7-11 The Passion Translation (TPT)
All that is planted by the mouth of the river will dry up, and the fields along the brooks will wither and turn to dust blown away by the wind. Fishermen will mourn. All who cast a fishhook into the river and those who cast their nets will catch nothing. Those who make clothing from combed flax will despair, and the weavers of linen will be distressed. The pillars of Egypt’s foundations will be shattered and every worker grieved. The elite of Zoan are nothing but fools, and the wisest of Pharaoh’s counselors gives foolish advice. How in the world can you say to Pharaoh, “I am a brilliant sage and a descendant of the ancient kings”?
Isaiah 19:7-11 English Standard Version 2016 (ESV)
There will be bare places by the Nile, on the brink of the Nile, and all that is sown by the Nile will be parched, will be driven away, and will be no more. The fishermen will mourn and lament, all who cast a hook in the Nile; and they will languish who spread nets on the water. The workers in combed flax will be in despair, and the weavers of white cotton. Those who are the pillars of the land will be crushed, and all who work for pay will be grieved. The princes of Zoan are utterly foolish; the wisest counselors of Pharaoh give stupid counsel. How can you say to Pharaoh, “I am a son of the wise, a son of ancient kings”?