1. Woe to you, O land of winged boats Beyond Ethiopia’s rivers.
2. Those sending paper treaties and letters Across the waters to us. For, messengers will be sent by a nation Of strange and ill-tempered people By whom you don’t want to be trampled.
3. They live in a land divided by rivers, And their place will soon be a flag That is lifted above the tall mountains…Like a signal of the blowing of trumpets.
4. Then, this is what I was told by the Lord: ‘Although I have protected My city From the afternoon heat And by clouds of dew before harvest.
5. When the flowers have blossomed and young grapes have formed, I’ll remove their clusters with a sickle…Yes, I’ll cut the small branches off of the vines.
6. Then leave them behind for the birds of the skies And for the wild beasts of the earth. ‘So then, all winged creatures that fly in the skies And all the wild beasts of the earth Will gather there to consume them.
7. Then those people who’ve been afflicted and plucked Will offer gifts to Jehovah of Armies. They’re a people who’ve been great [throughout] the ages…But they’re a nation whose hopes will be trampled. They live in a place that runs from a river To where the Name Jehovah of Armies Is found upon His Holy Mountain.’