11 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”?

12 Where are your wise men now?

Let them show you and make known

what the Lord Almighty

has planned against Egypt.

11 Surely the princes of Zoan are fools, The counsel of the wise counsellers of Pharaoh is become brutish: How say ye unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, The son of ancient kings? 12 Where are they? where are thy wise men? And let them tell thee now, And let them know what the Lord of hosts hath purposed upon Egypt.

11 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?

12 Where are your wise counselors, Pharaoh?

Let them tell you what God plans,

what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies is going to do to Egypt.

11 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?”

12 Where are they?

Where are your wise men?

Let them tell you now,

And let them know what the Lord of hosts has purposed against Egypt.

11 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’?

12 Egypt, where are your wise men?

Let them show you

what the Lord All-Powerful has planned for Egypt.

11 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? 12 Where then are thy wise men? and let them tell thee now; and let them know what Jehovah of hosts hath purposed concerning Egypt.

11 They are but fools, the princes of Zoan, the wise counsellors of Pharaoh: their counsel is become senseless. How say ye unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings? 12 Where are they then, thy wise men? Let them now tell thee, and let them make known what Jehovah of hosts hath purposed upon Egypt.

11 The leaders of Zoan are nothing but fools. 

The wisest of Pharaoh’s counselors gives stupid advice. 

How can you tell Pharaoh, 

“I’m a descendant of wise men, 

a descendant of ancient kings”? 

12 Where are your wise men now? 

Let them tell you. 

Let them explain what the Lord of Armies 

is planning against Egypt. 

11 The princes of Zoan are complete fools;

Pharaoh’s wisest advisers give stupid advice!

How can you say to Pharaoh,

“I am one of the wise,

a student of eastern kings”?

12 Where then are your wise men?

Let them tell you and reveal

what the Lord of Hosts has planned against Egypt.

11 The princes of Zoan are utterly foolish;

the wise counselors of Pharaoh give stupid counsel.

How can you say to Pharaoh,

“I am one of the sages,

a descendant of ancient kings”?

12 Where now are your sages?

Let them tell you and make known

what the Lord of hosts has planned against Egypt.

11 Surely the princes of Zoan are foolish;

the wise of the counselors of Pharaoh give senseless counsel.

How can you say to Pharaoh,

“I myself am a son of sages,

a descendant of ancient kings”?

12 Where are your sages then?

Now, let them tell you,

and let them know what Yahweh of hosts has planned against Egypt.

11 The officials of the city of Zoan are very foolish.

Pharaoh’s wise men give advice that doesn’t make any sense.

How can they dare to say to Pharaoh,

“We’re among the wise men”?

How can they say to him,

“We’re like the advisers to the kings of long ago”?

12 Pharaoh, where are your wise men now?

Let them tell you

what the Lord who rules over all

has planned against Egypt.

11 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”?

12 Well then, where are your wise men?

Please let them tell you,

And let them understand what the Lord of hosts

Has purposed against Egypt.