1 Woe to the land of whirring wings

along the rivers of Cush,

2 which sends envoys by sea

in papyrus boats over the water.

Go, swift messengers,

to a people tall and smooth-skinned,

to a people feared far and wide,

an aggressive nation of strange speech,

whose land is divided by rivers.

1 Woe to the land shadowing with wings,

Which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia:

2 That sendeth ambassadors by the sea,

Even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters, saying,

Go, ye swift messengers,

To a nation scattered and peeled,

To a people terrible from their beginning hitherto;

A nation meted out and trodden down,

Whose land the rivers have spoiled!

1 Listen, Ethiopia—land of fluttering sails

that lies at the headwaters of the Nile,

2 that sends ambassadors

in swift boats down the river.

Go, swift messengers!

Take a message to a tall, smooth-skinned people,

who are feared far and wide

for their conquests and destruction,

and whose land is divided by rivers.

1 Woe to the land shadowed with buzzing wings,

Which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia,

2 Which sends ambassadors by sea,

Even in vessels of reed on the waters, saying,

“Go, swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth of skin,

To a people terrible from their beginning onward,

A nation powerful and treading down,

Whose land the rivers divide.”

1 How terrible it will be for the land beyond the rivers of Cush.

It is filled with the sound of wings.

2 That land sends messengers across the sea;

they go on the water in boats made of reeds.

Go, quick messengers,

to a people who are tall and smooth-skinned,

who are feared everywhere.

They are a powerful nation that defeats other nations.

Their land is divided by rivers.

1 Ah, the land of the rustling of wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia; 2 that sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of papyrus upon the waters, saying, Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth, to a people terrible from their beginning onward, a nation that meteth out and treadeth down, whose land the rivers divide!

1 Ha! land shadowing with wings, which art beyond the rivers of Cush, 2 that sendest ambassadors over the sea, and in vessels of papyrus upon the waters, saying, Go, swift messengers, to a nation scattered and ravaged, to a people terrible from their existence and thenceforth; to a nation of continued waiting and of treading down, whose land the rivers have spoiled!

1 How horrible it will be for the land of whirring wings 

which lies beyond the rivers of Sudan. 

2 It sends messengers by sea 

in boats made of reeds 

⸤skimming⸥ over the surface of the water. 

Go, swift messengers, to a tall and smooth-skinned people, 

a people ⸤who are⸥ feared far and near, 

a strong and aggressive nation, 

whose land is divided by rivers. 

1 Ah! The land of buzzing insect wings

beyond the rivers of Cush

2 sends couriers by sea,

in reed vessels on the waters.

Go, swift messengers,

to a nation tall and smooth-skinned,

to a people feared far and near,

a powerful nation with a strange language,

whose land is divided by rivers.

1 Ah, land of whirring wings

beyond the rivers of Ethiopia,

2 sending ambassadors by the Nile

in vessels of papyrus on the waters!

Go, you swift messengers,

to a nation tall and smooth,

to a people feared near and far,

a nation mighty and conquering,

whose land the rivers divide.

1 Ah! land of the whirring of wings,

which is beyond the rivers of Cush,

2 that sends messengers by the sea

and in vessels of papyrus on the surface of the waters!

Go, swift messengers, to a tall and smooth nation,

to a people feared near and far,

a mighty, mighty and trampling nation,

whose land rivers divide.

1 How terrible it will be for the land

whose armies are like large numbers of flying insects!

That land is along the rivers of Cush.

2 Its people send messengers on the Nile River.

They travel over the water in papyrus boats.

Messengers, hurry back home!

Go back to your people,

who are tall and have smooth skin.

Everyone is afraid of them.

They are warriors.

Their language is different from ours.

Their land is divided up by rivers.

1 Alas, oh land of whirring wings

Which lies beyond the rivers of Cush,

2 Which sends envoys by the sea,

Even in papyrus vessels on the surface of the waters.

Go, swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth,

To a people feared far and wide,

A powerful and oppressive nation

Whose land the rivers divide.