Go, swift messengers,
to a people tall and smooth-skinned,^(E)
    to a people feared far and wide,
an aggressive^(F) nation of strange speech,
    whose land is divided by rivers.^(G)

³ All you people of the world,^(H)
    you who live on the earth,
when a banner^(I) is raised on the mountains,
    you will see it,
and when a trumpet^(J) sounds,
    you will hear it.
⁴ This is what the Lord says to me:
    “I will remain quiet^(K) and will look on from my dwelling place,^(L)
like shimmering heat in the sunshine,^(M)
    like a cloud of dew^(N) in the heat of harvest.”
⁵ For, before the harvest, when the blossom is gone
    and the flower becomes a ripening grape,
he will cut off^(O) the shoots with pruning knives,
    and cut down and take away the spreading branches.^(P)
6 They will all be left to the mountain birds of prey^(Q)
    and to the wild animals;^(R)
the birds will feed on them all summer,
    the wild animals all winter.

from a people tall and smooth-skinned,^(T)
    from a people feared^(U) far and wide,
an aggressive nation of strange speech,
    whose land is divided by rivers^(V)—

⁴ A sword will come against Egypt,^(A)
    and anguish will come upon Cush.^[a](B)
When the slain fall in Egypt,
    her wealth will be carried away
    and her foundations torn down.^(C)

“‘The allies of Egypt will fall
    and her proud strength will fail.
From Migdol to Aswan^(H)
    they will fall by the sword within her,
declares the Sovereign Lord.
⁷ “‘They will be desolate
    among desolate lands,
and their cities will lie
    among ruined cities.^(I)
8 Then they will know that I am the Lord,
    when I set fire^(J) to Egypt
    and all her helpers are crushed.^(K)