18 You won’t end well, you land of whirring wings

that’s on the far side of Kush’s (Ethiopia) rivers.[ref]

2 You who send ambassadors across the ocean

skimming over the water in papyrus vessels.

You swift messengers, go to the nation where the people are tall and smooth-skinned—

a people who are feared—a very powerful nation

from a land that’s divided by rivers.

3 All you inhabitants of the world

and those who live on the earth,

look when a signal is raised on the hills,

and listen when you hear a trumpet sounding.

4 This is what Yahweh told me:

I’ll remain quite and pay attention from my place,

like when heat shimmers with light,

like a cloud of mist in the heat at harvest time.

5 Before the harvest starts, when the blossoming has finished,

and the flowers are forming into grapes,

then he’ll cut off the unwanted shoots with the pruning knife

and cut away the long tendrils.

6 They’ll be left there for the birds of prey from the hills,

and the wild animals across the land.

The birds of prey will spend the summer on them,

and then the animals across the land will spend the winter on them.

7 At that time, a gift will be brought for Commander-in-chief Yahweh,

from those tall, smooth-skinned people who are feared by every nation.

That very powerful nation whose land is divided by rivers.

They’ll take it to Mt. Tsiyon (Zion) where Commander-in-chief Yahweh’s name is known.