Isaiah 18:1–4

Ah, land of whirring wings

that is beyond the rivers of Cush,

which sends ambassadors by the sea,

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.

All you inhabitants of the world,

you who dwell on the earth,

when a signal is raised on the mountains, look!

When a trumpet is blown, hear!

For thus the Lord said to me:

“I will quietly look from my dwelling

like clear heat in sunshine,

like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.”

Woe to the land of whirring wings

along the rivers of Cush,

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.

All you people of the world,

you who live on the earth,

when a banner is raised on the mountains,

you will see it,

and when a trumpet sounds,

you will hear it.

This is what the Lord says to me:

“I will remain quiet and will look on from my dwelling place,

like shimmering heat in the sunshine,

like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.”

Woe to the land of buzzing insect wings

beyond the rivers of Cush,

which sends envoys by sea,

in reed vessels over the water.

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.

All you inhabitants of the world

and you who live on the earth,

when a banner is raised on the mountains, look!

When a trumpet sounds, listen!

For the Lord said to me:

I will quietly look out from my place,

like shimmering heat in sunshine,

like a rain cloud in harvest heat.

Listen, Ethiopia—land of fluttering sails

that lies at the headwaters of the Nile,

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.

All you people of the world,

everyone who lives on the earth—

when I raise my battle flag on the mountain, look!

When I blow the ram’s horn, listen!

For the Lord has told me this:

“I will watch quietly from my dwelling place—

as quietly as the heat rises on a summer day,

or as the morning dew forms during the harvest.”

Ah! land of the whirring of wings,

which is beyond the rivers of Cush,

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.

All you inhabitants of the world

and dwellers of the earth,

when a signal is raised on the mountains, you must look,

and when a trumpet is blown, you must listen!

For Yahweh said this to me:

“I will be quiet,

and I will look from my dwelling place

like clear heat because of light,

like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.”

Woe to the land shadowing with wings,

Which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia:

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!

All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth,

See ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains;

And when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye.

For so the Lord said unto me,

I will take my rest, and I will consider in my dwelling place

Like a clear heat upon herbs,

And like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.