Egypt is like a beautiful young cow. But northern armies will attack her like swarms of stinging flies.

埃及是肥美的母牛犊；但出于北方的毁灭来到了！来到了！

埃及是肥美的母牛犊；但来自北方的牛虻来到了！来到了！

埃及是肥美的母牛犊；但来自北方的牛虻来到了！来到了！

“埃及像头肥美的母牛犊，但从北方却来了牛虻。

埃及是一头肥美的母牛犊，但北方的牛虫已经来到它身上（“它身上”有古卷作“来到了”）。

埃及是肥美的母牛犢；但出於北方的毀滅來到了！來到了！

埃及是肥美的母牛犢；但來自北方的牛虻來到了！來到了！

埃及是肥美的母牛犢；但來自北方的牛虻來到了！來到了！

「埃及像頭肥美的母牛犢，但從北方卻來了牛虻。

埃及是一頭肥美的母牛犢，但北方的牛蟲已經來到牠身上（“牠身上”有古卷作“來到了”）。

『埃及是美麗的母牛犢，但出於北方的牛蝨來到牠身上了。

埃及乃為美犢、惟有蜚蝱自北而來、今已至矣、

埃及人若美犢、有災至自北方、

惟爾伊及、猶若美犢、有災自北方而來、

“ Egypt is a beautiful heifer, but a gadfly is coming against her from the north.

“ Egypt is like a beautiful young cow. But Nebuchadnezzar is coming against her from the north. He will bite her like a fly.

“ A beautiful heifer is Egypt, but a biting fly from the north has come upon her.

Egypt is as sleek as a beautiful heifer, but a horsefly from the north is on its way!

Egypt is a beautiful young cow, but a horsefly from the north is coming against her.

Egypt is a pretty heifer, But a horsefly is coming from the north— it is coming!

“ Egypt is a very pretty heifer, But destruction comes, it comes from the north.

Egypt is a very fair heifer; but destruction out of the north is come, it is come.

Egypt is a beautiful young cow, but a horsefly from the north is coming against her.

Egypt[ is like] a very fair heifer,[ but] destruction cometh; it cometh out of the north.

“ Egypt is a very beautiful heifer; but destruction out of the north has come. It has come.

“ Look! Enemies are gathering in the north like water rising in a river. They will be like an overflowing stream. They will overwhelm the whole country and everything in it like a flood. They will overwhelm the cities and their inhabitants. People will cry out in alarm. Everyone living in the country will cry out in pain.

Ephraim was a well-trained heifer who loved to thresh grain; I myself put a fine yokeon her neck. I will harness Ephraim. Let Judah plow! Let Jacob break up the unplowed ground for himself!

But that day belongs to the Lord God who rules over all. It is the day when he will pay back his enemies. His sword will devour them until its appetite is satisfied! It will drink their blood until it is full! For the Lord GOD who rules over all will offer them up as a sacrifice in the land of the north by the Euphrates River.

But even the swiftest cannot get away. Even the strongest cannot escape. There in the north by the Euphrates River they stumble and fall in defeat.

Then the LORD said,“ This means destruction will break out from the north on all who live in the land.

Poor dear Egypt will be put to shame. She will be handed over to the people from the north.”

So I, the LORD, affirm that I will send for all the peoples of the north and my servant, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants and all the nations that surround it. I will utterly destroy this land, its inhabitants, and all the nations that surround it and make them everlasting ruins. I will make them objects of horror and hissing scorn.

“ People of Babylonia, you plundered my people. That made you happy and glad. You frolic about like calves in a pasture. Your joyous sounds are like the neighs of a stallion.