1 Woe to the land of whirring wings which lies beyond the rivers of Ethiopia Cush.

2 It sends messengers by sea in boats made of reeds that skim over the surface of the water. »Go, swift messengers, to a tall and smooth-skinned people, a people who are feared far and near, a strong and aggressive nation, whose land is divided by rivers.«

3 Look when someone raises a flag on the mountains. Listen when someone blows a ram's horn, all you inhabitants of the world, you who live on the earth.

4 Jehovah says this to me: »I will be still and watch from my dwelling place. My presence will be like scorching heat in the sunshine, like heavy dew in the heat of the harvest.

5 »Before the harvest, when blossoms are gone and grapes are ripening from blossoms, he will cut off the shoots with pruning shears and chop off and take away the spreading branches.

6 They will all be left for the birds of prey on the mountains and the wild animals. The birds of prey will feed on them in the summer. All the wild animals on earth will feed on them in the winter.

7 »At that time gifts will be brought to Jehovah of Hosts from a tall and smooth-skinned people, a people who are feared far and near. It will be a strong and aggressive nation, whose land is divided by rivers. They will be brought to Mount Zion, the place where the name of Jehovah of Hosts is.«