Isaiah 19:13–15

13 The officials of Zoan have become fools,

the leaders of Memphis are deceived;

the cornerstones of her peoples

have led Egypt astray.

14 The Lord has poured into them

a spirit of dizziness;

they make Egypt stagger in all that she does,

as a drunkard staggers around in his vomit.

15 There is nothing Egypt can do—

head or tail, palm branch or reed.

13 The princes of Zoan have become fools,

and the princes of Memphis are deluded;

those who are the cornerstones of her tribes

have made Egypt stagger.

14 The Lord has mingled within her a spirit of confusion,

and they will make Egypt stagger in all its deeds,

as a drunken man staggers in his vomit.

15 And there will be nothing for Egypt

that head or tail, palm branch or reed, may do.

13 The princes of Zoan are become fools,

The princes of Noph are deceived;

They have also seduced Egypt, even they that are the stay of the tribes thereof.

14 The Lord hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof:

And they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof,

As a drunken man staggereth in his vomit.

15 Neither shall there be any work for Egypt,

Which the head or tail, branch or rush, may do.

13 The officials of Zoan are fools,

and the officials of Memphis are deluded.

The leaders of the people

have led Egypt astray.

14 The Lord has sent a spirit of foolishness on them,

so all their suggestions are wrong.

They cause Egypt to stagger

like a drunk in his vomit.

15 There is nothing Egypt can do.

All are helpless—

the head and the tail,

the noble palm branch and the lowly reed.

13 The princes of Zoan have become fools;

The princes of Noph are deceived;

They have also deluded Egypt,

Those who are the mainstay of its tribes.

14 The Lord has mingled a perverse spirit in her midst;

And they have caused Egypt to err in all her work,

As a drunken man staggers in his vomit.

15 Neither will there be any work for Egypt,

Which the head or tail,

Palm branch or bulrush, may do.

13 The officers of Zoan have been fooled;

the leaders of Memphis have believed false things.

So the leaders of Egypt

lead that nation the wrong way.

14 The Lord has made the leaders confused.

They have led Egypt to wander in the wrong ways,

like drunk people stumbling in their own vomit.

15 There is nothing Egypt can do;

no one there can help.

13 The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Memphis are deceived; they have caused Egypt to go astray, that are the corner-stone of her tribes. 14 Jehovah hath mingled a spirit of perverseness in the midst of her; and they have caused Egypt to go astray in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit. 15 Neither shall there be for Egypt any work, which head or tail, palm-branch or rush, may do.

13 The princes of Zoan are become foolish, the princes of Noph are deceived; and the corner-stones of its tribes have caused Egypt to err. 14 Jehovah hath mingled a spirit of perverseness in the midst thereof; and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunkard staggereth in his vomit. 15 Neither shall there be any work for Egypt, which the head or tail, palm-branch or rush, may do.

13 The leaders of Zoan are acting foolishly. 

The leaders of Memphis are led astray. 

The leaders who are the cornerstones of its tribes mislead the Egyptians. 

14 The Lord mixes up their minds. 

So they lead the Egyptians astray 

like a drunk who staggers in his vomit. 

15 No one—leaders or followers, important or unimportant— 

can do anything for Egypt. 

13 The princes of Zoan have been fools;

the princes of Memphis are deceived.

Her tribal chieftains have led Egypt astray.

14 The Lord has mixed within her a spirit of confusion.

The leaders have made Egypt stagger in all she does,

as a drunkard staggers in his vomit.

15 No head or tail, palm or reed,

will be able to do anything for Egypt.

13 The princes of Zoan have become fools,

and the princes of Memphis are deluded;

those who are the cornerstones of its tribes

have led Egypt astray.

14 The Lord has poured into them

a spirit of confusion;

and they have made Egypt stagger in all its doings

as a drunkard staggers around in his vomit.

15 Neither head nor tail, palm branch or reed,

will be able to do anything for Egypt.

13 The officials of Zoan have become foolish.

The leaders of Memphis have been lied to.

The most important leaders in Egypt

have led its people down the wrong path.

14 The Lord has given them

a spirit that makes them feel dizzy.

They make Egypt unsteady in everything it does.

Egypt is like a person who drinks too much.

He throws up and then walks around in the mess he’s made.

15 No one in Egypt can do anything to help them.

Its elders and important leaders can’t help them.

Its prophets and priests can’t do anything.

Those who rule over others can’t help.

And those who bow down to them can’t help either.

13 The princes of Zoan have acted foolishly,

The princes of Memphis are deluded;

Those who are the cornerstone of her tribes

Have led Egypt astray.

14 The Lord has mixed within her a spirit of distortion;

They have led Egypt astray in all that it does,

As a drunken man staggers in his vomit.

15 There will be no work for Egypt

Which its head or tail, its palm branch or bulrush, may do.