19 A message for Egypt (Heb. Mitsrayim):[ref]

Look, Yahweh’s riding on a swift cloud and he’s coming to Egypt.

Egypt’s idols will tremble in front of him,

and its people will lose their courage.

2 Then I’ll stir Egypt up against Egypt,

→ so brothers will fight their brothers and neighbours against neighbours,

≈ city against city and kingdom against kingdom.

3 Egypt’s spirit will be weakened from within

→ and I will confuse its advice,

so they’ll consult idols and the spirits of the dead,

≈ as well as mediums and diviners.

4 Then I’ll hand Egypt over to a cruel master—

≈ a strong king will rule over them.

That’s what the master, Commander-in-chief Yahweh says.

5 The waters from the sea will dry up,

≈ and any river will drop in level and empty out.

6 Then the low rivers will stink,

and Egypt’s canals will dry up.

The reeds and rushes will wither.

7 There’ll be exposed areas at the river mouth,

and all the cultivated land along the river

will turn to dust and cease to exist.

8 The fishermen will wail and mourn—

everyone who throws a hook into the Nile will grieve,

along with all those who spread a fishing net over the surface of the waters.

9 Flax workers will be ashamed,

as will those who weave white cloth.

10 Egypt’s foundations will be crushed,

and their hired workers will be discouraged.

11 Tsoan city’s officials are foolish.

≈ Far’oh’s (Pharaoh’s) wise counsellors are stupid.

How could you all tell Far’oh that you’re the son of wise people—

a son of ancient kings?

12 So where are your wise advisors now?

Please let them explain to you

so they’ll know what Commander-in-chief Yahweh has planned for Egypt.

13 Tsoan’s officials have become fools.

≈ Memphis’s leaders have been deceived.

Their tribal leaders have led Egypt astray.

14 Yahweh has mixed a confused spirit into them,

so they’ve misled Egypt is everything it does,

making them stagger like a drunkard in his own vomit.

15 No one in Egypt can do anything—

whether head or tail, palm branch or reed.