20 Or “pride” (, ); , , “pomp.”
21 Or “harps” (, , ).
22 Heb “under you maggots are spread out, and worms are your cover.”
23 The Hebrew text has הֵילֵל בֶּן־שָׁחַר (helel ben-shakhar, “Helel son of Shachar”), which is probably a name for the morning star (Venus) or the crescent moon. See הֵילֵל. What is the background for the imagery in vv. 12–15? This whole section (vv. 4b–21) is directed to the king of Babylon, who is clearly depicted as a human ruler. Other kings of the earth address him in vv. 9ff., he is called “the man” in v. 16, and, according to vv. 19–20, he possesses a physical body. Nevertheless the language of vv. 12–15 has led some to see a dual referent in the taunt song. These verses, which appear to be spoken by other pagan kings to a pagan king (cf. vv. 9–11), contain several titles and motifs that resemble those of Canaanite mythology, including references to Helel son of Shachar, the stars of El, the mountain of assembly, the recesses of Zaphon, and the divine title Most High. Apparently these verses allude to a mythological story about a minor god (Helel son of Shachar) who tried to take over Zaphon, the mountain of the gods. His attempted coup failed and he was hurled down to the underworld. The king of Babylon is taunted for having similar unrealized delusions of grandeur. Some Christians have seen an allusion to the fall of Satan here, but this seems contextually unwarranted (see J. Martin, “Isaiah,” , ).
24 Some understand the verb to from חָלַשׁ (khalash, “to weaken”), but II חלשׁ proposes a homonym here, meaning “to defeat.”
25 In this line the taunting kings hint at the literal identity of the king, after likening him to the god Helel and a tree. The verb גָדַע (gada’, “cut down”) is used of chopping down trees in 9:10 and 10:33.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Your pomp is brought down to Sheol,

the sound of your harps;

maggots are laid as a bed beneath you,

and worms are your covers.

“How you are fallen from heaven,

O Day Star, son of Dawn!

How you are cut down to the ground,

you who laid the nations low!

NIVNew International Version (2011)

All your pomp has been brought down to the grave,

along with the noise of your harps;

maggots are spread out beneath you

and worms cover you.

How you have fallen from heaven,

morning star, son of the dawn!

You have been cast down to the earth,

you who once laid low the nations!

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Your splendor has been brought down to Sheol,

along with the music of your harps.

Maggots are spread out under you,

and worms cover you.”

Shining morning star,

how you have fallen from the heavens!

You destroyer of nations,

you have been cut down to the ground.

NLTNew Living Translation

Your might and power were buried with you.

The sound of the harp in your palace has ceased.

Now maggots are your sheet,

and worms your blanket.’

“How you are fallen from heaven,

O shining star, son of the morning!

You have been thrown down to the earth,

you who destroyed the nations of the world.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Your pride is brought down to Sheol,

and the sound of your harps;

maggots are spread out beneath you like a bed,

and your covering is worms.

How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of dawn!

You are cut down to the ground, conqueror of nations!

KJV 1900King James Version

Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols:

The worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.

How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!

How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

Public Domain