1. In the twelfth year, in the twelfth month on the first day, the word of the Lord came to me:
2. ‘Son of man, take up a lament concerning Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him:‘ “You are like a lion among the nations;you are like a monster in the seasthrashing about in your streams,churning the water with your feetand muddying the streams.
3. ‘ “This is what the Sovereign Lord says:‘ “With a great throng of peopleI will cast my net over you,and they will haul you up in my net.
4. I will throw you on the landand hurl you on the open field.I will let all the birds of the sky settle on youand all the wild animals gorge themselves on you.
5. I will spread your flesh on the mountainsand fill the valleys with your remains.
6. I will drench the land with your flowing bloodall the way to the mountains,and the ravines will be filled with your flesh.
7. When I snuff you out, I will cover the heavensand darken their stars;I will cover the sun with a cloud,and the moon will not give its light.
8. All the shining lights in the heavensI will darken over you;I will bring darkness over your land,declares the Sovereign Lord.
9. I will trouble the hearts of many peopleswhen I bring about your destruction among the nations,among lands you have not known.
10. I will cause many peoples to be appalled at you,and their kings will shudder with horror because of youwhen I brandish my sword before them.On the day of your downfalleach of them will trembleevery moment for his life.
11. ‘ “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says:‘ “The sword of the king of Babylonwill come against you.
12. I will cause your hordes to fallby the swords of mighty men –the most ruthless of all nations.They will shatter the pride of Egypt,and all her hordes will be overthrown.
13. I will destroy all her cattlefrom beside abundant watersno longer to be stirred by the foot of manor muddied by the hooves of cattle.
14. Then I will let her waters settleand make her streams flow like oil,declares the Sovereign Lord.
15. When I make Egypt desolateand strip the land of everything in it,when I strike down all who live there,then they will know that I am the Lord.”
16. ‘This is the lament they will chant for her. The daughters of the nations will chant it; for Egypt and all her hordes they will chant it, declares the Sovereign Lord.’
17. In the twelfth year, on the fifteenth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me:
18. ‘Son of man, wail for the hordes of Egypt and consign to the earth below both her and the daughters of mighty nations, along with those who go down to the pit.
19. Say to them, “Are you more favoured than others? Go down and be laid among the uncircumcised.”