6. The canals will stink.The streams of Egypt will decrease and dry up.All the water plants will rot.
7. All the plants along the banks of the Nile will die.Even the planted fields by the Nilewill dry up, blow away and disappear.
8. The fishermen, all those who catch fish from the Nile,will groan and cry.Those who depend on the Nile for food will be sad.
9. All the people who make cloth from flax will be sad.Those who weave linen will lose hope.
10. Those who weave cloth will be broken.All those who work for money will be sad.
11. The officers of the city of Zoan are fools.The wise men who advise the king of Egypt give wrong advice.How can they say to him they are wise?How can they say they are from the old family of the kings?
12. Egypt, where are your wise men?Let them show youwhat the Lord of heaven’s armies has planned for Egypt.
13. The officers of Zoan have been fooled.The leaders of Memphis have believed false things.So the leaders of Egyptlead her the wrong way.
14. The Lord has made the leaders confused.They wander and lead Egypt in the wrong ways.They are like drunk people stumbling in their own vomit.
15. There is nothing Egypt can do.No one in Egypt can help.
16. In that day the people of Egypt will be like frightened women. They will be afraid of the Lord of heaven’s armies. He will raise his hand to strike them down.
17. The land of Judah will bring fear to the people in Egypt. Anyone in Egypt who hears the name Judah will be afraid. This will happen because the Lord of heaven’s armies has planned terrible things for Egypt.
18. At that time five cities in Egypt will speak Hebrew, the language of Canaan. They will promise to be loyal to the Lord of heaven’s armies. One of these cities will be named the City of Destruction.
19. At that time there will be an altar for the Lord in the middle of Egypt. At the border of Egypt there will be a monument to the Lord.