The Land of Whirring Wings
Isaiah 18
Isaiah addresses a distant land beyond the rivers of Ethiopia that sends swift messengers by sea, describing how the Lord will quietly watch until the appointed time to cut down its power like unripe grapes left for birds and beasts. In the end, he says, that same feared and trodden-down nation will bring gifts to the Lord of hosts at Mount Zion.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Thomson 1808Septuagint
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
KJV 1769Masoretic
JPS 1917Masoretic
1
ThomsonAH! wings of the land of ships! Thou who surpassest the Ethiopian streams,
BrentonWoe to you, ye wings of the land of ships, beyond the rivers of Ethiopia.
GreekΟὐαὶ γῆς πλοίων πτέρυγες, ἐπέκεινα ποταμῶν Αἰθιοπίας·
KJVWoe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia:
JPSAh, land of the buzzing of wings, Which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia;
2
Thomsonthou who art sending pledges by sea, and paper messages on the water; for swift messengers will go to a lofty nation, and to a strange and fierce people. There is one far transcending it. With regard to the nation without hope and trodden down, at this time, O all ye streams of that land, like an inhabited country, their country shall be inhabited.
BrentonHe sends messengers by the sea, and paper letters on the water: for swift messengers shall go to a lofty nation, and to a strange and harsh people. Who is beyond it? a nation not looked for, and trodden down.
GreekὉ ἀποστέλλων ἐν θαλάσσῃ ὅμηρα, καὶ ἐπιστολὰς βιβλίνας ἐπάνω τοῦ ὕδατος· πορεύσονται γὰρ ἄγγελοι κοῦφοι πρὸς ἔθνος μετέωρον, καὶ ξένον λαὸν καὶ χαλεπόν· τίς αὐτοῦ ἐπέκεινα; ἔθνος ἀνέλπιστον καὶ καταπεπατημένον· νῦν οἱ ποταμοὶ τῆς γῆς
KJVThat 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!
JPSThat sendeth ambassadors by the sea, Even in vessels of papyrus upon the waters! Go, ye swift messengers, To a nation tall and of glossy skin, To a people terrible from their beginning onward; A nation that is sturdy and treadeth down, Whose land the rivers divide!
3
ThomsonAs if a signal were displayed from a mountain, as with the sound of a trumpet, let the news be spread.
BrentonNow all the rivers of the land shall be inhabited as an inhabited country; their land shall be as when a signal is raised from a mountain; it shall be audible as the sound of a trumpet.
Greekπάντες, ὡς χώρα κατοικουμένη κατοικηθήσεται· ἡ χώρα αὐτῶν ὡσεὶ σημεῖον ἀπὸ ὄρους ἀρθῇ, ὡς σάλπιγγος φωνὴ ἀκουστὸν ἔσται.
KJV—
JPS—
4
ThomsonFor thus hath the Lord said to me: There shall be safety in this city of Mine; like the light of noontide heat; and it shall be like a dewy cloud in a harvest day.
BrentonFor thus said the Lord to me, There shall be security in my city, as the light of noonday heat, and it shall be as a cloud of dew in the day of harvest.
GreekΔιότι οὕτως εἶπε Κύριός μοι, ἀσφάλεια ἔσται ἐν τῇ ἐμῇ πόλει, ὡς φῶς καύματος μεσημβρίας, καὶ ὡς νεφέλη δρόσου ἡμέρας ἀμητο ἔσται
KJVFor 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.
JPSFor thus hath the LORD said unto me: I will hold Me still, and I will look on in My dwelling-place, Like clear heat in sunshine, Like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.
5
ThomsonBefore the vintage, when the blossom is perfect, and the young grape is swelling in the blossom; the diminutive bunches are to be cut off with pruning hooks, and the small shoots, to be nipped off and cut away,
BrentonBefore the reaping time, when the flower has been completely formed, and the unripe grape has put forth its flower and blossomed, then shall he take away the little clusters with pruning-hooks, and shall take away the small branches, and cut them off;
Greekπρὸ τοῦ θερισμοῦ, ὅταν συντελεσθῇ ἄνθος, καὶ ὄμφαξ ἐξανθήσῃ ἄνθος ὀμφακίζουσα· καὶ ἀφελεῖ τὰ βοτρύδια τὰ μικρὰ τοῖς δρεπάνοις, καὶ τὰς κληματίδας ἀφελεῖ, καὶ ἀποκόψει,
KJVFor afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and take away and cut down the branches.
JPSFor before the harvest, when the blossom is over, And the bud becometh a ripening grape, He will cut off the sprigs with pruning-hooks, And the shoots will He take away and lop off.
6
Thomsonand left together for the birds of the air, and for the wild beasts of the earth. And against them will be gathered all the birds of the air; and all the wild beasts of the earth will come upon it.
Brentonand he shall leave them together to the birds of the sky, and to the wild beasts of the earth: and the fowls of the sky shall be gathered upon them, and all the beasts of the land shall come upon him.
Greekκαὶ καταλείψει ἅμα τοῖς πετεινοῖς τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ τοῖς θηρίοις τῆς γῆς· καὶ συναχθήσεται ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ πάντα τὰ θηρία τῆς γῆς ἐπʼ αὐτὸν ἥξει.
KJVThey shall be left together unto the fowls of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth: and the fowls shall summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them.
JPSThey shall be left together unto the ravenous birds of the mountains, And to the beasts of the earth; And the ravenous birds shall summer upon them, And all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them.
7
ThomsonAt that time gifts will be brought to the Lord of Hosts from a people afflicted and peeled—even on account of a people great from this time and forever. A nation having hope, though trodden down, which is in a part of the river of its country, will send them to the place of Him, whose name is the Lord of Hosts, even to Mount Sion.
BrentonIn that time shall presents be brought to the Lord of hosts from a people afflicted and peeled, and from a people great from henceforth and for ever; a nation hoping and yet trodden down, which is in a part of a river of his land, to the place where is the name of the Lord of hosts, the mount Sion.
GreekἘν τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ ἀνενεχθήσεται δῶρα Κυρίῳ σαβαὼθ ἐκ λαοῦ τεθλιμμένου καὶ τετιλμένου, καὶ ἀπὸ λαοῦ μεγάλου ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα χρόνον· ἔθνος ἐλπίζον καὶ καταπεπατημένον, ὅ ἐστιν ἐν μέρει ποταμοῦ τῆς χώρας αὐτοῦ, εἰς τὸν τόπον οὗ τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου σαβαὼθ, ὄρος Σιών. ὍΡΑΣΙΣ ΑΙΓΥΠΤΟΥ.
KJVIn that time shall the present be brought unto the LORD of hosts of a people scattered and peeled, and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of the LORD of hosts, the mount Zion.
JPSIn that time shall a present be brought unto the LORD of hosts of a people tall and of glossy skin, and from a people terrible from their beginning onward; a nation that is sturdy and treadeth down, whose land the rivers divide, to the place of the name of the LORD of hosts, the mount Zion.