And that’s not all. Our eyes grew tired. We looked for help that never came. We watched from our towers. We kept looking for a nation that couldn’t save us.

我们仰望人来帮助，以致眼目失明，还是枉然；我们所盼望的，竟盼望一个不能救人的国！

我们的眼目徒然仰望帮助，以致失明，我们从瞭望台所守望的，竟是一个不能救人的国！

我们的眼目徒然仰望帮助，以致失明，我们从瞭望台所守望的，竟是一个不能救人的国！

我们望眼欲穿，盼望援军的到来，盼来的国家却无力拯救我们。

我们徒然等待帮助，等到双目失去视力；我们在瞭望台上期望一个不能拯救我们的国家来临。

我們仰望人來幫助，以致眼目失明，還是枉然；我們所盼望的，竟盼望一個不能救人的國！

我們的眼目徒然仰望幫助，以致失明，我們從瞭望臺所守望的，竟是一個不能救人的國！

我們的眼目徒然仰望幫助，以致失明，我們從瞭望臺所守望的，竟是一個不能救人的國！

我們望眼欲穿，盼望援軍的到來，盼來的國家卻無力拯救我們。

我們徒然等待幫助，等到雙目失去視力；我們在瞭望臺上期望一個不能拯救我們的國家來臨。

我們的眼還直昏花迷糊，盼着幫助我們的，而盼個空；我們在瞭望台上直瞭望着不能拯救我們、的國。

我望救助、致目昏瞶、乃徒勞兮、我所瞻望之國、不能施拯兮、

郇民曰、我冀鄰邦、以手援予、引領徒勞、望眼欲穿兮。

郇民曰、我儕望人濟助、竟屬徒然、望眼欲穿、我俟鄰國救我、終不能救、

Moreover, our eyes failed, looking in vain for help; from our towers we watched for a nation that could not save us.

Our eyes failed, ever watching vainly for help; in our watching we watched for a nation which could not save.

We looked in vain for our allies to come and save us, but we were looking to nations that could not help us.

All the while our eyes were failing as we looked in vain for help; we watched from our towers for a nation that would not save us.

Yet our eyes failed, Looking for help was useless; At our observation point we have watched For a nation that could not save.

Still our eyes failed us, Watching vainly for our help; In our watching we watched For a nation that could not save us.

Our eyes do yet fail in looking for our vain help: In our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save.

All the while our eyes were failing as we looked in vain for assistance; we watched from our towers for a nation that refused to help.

As for us, our eyes as yet failed for our vain help: in our watching we have watched for a nation[ that] could not save[ us].

Our eyes continually failed us as we looked in vain for help. From our watchtowers we watched for a nation that could not rescue us.צ( Tsade)

Our eyes still fail, looking in vain for our help. In our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save.

The people of Israel will no longer trust in Egypt. Instead, Egypt will remind them of how they sinned when they turned to it for help. Then they will know that I am the Lord and King.”

People trusted in Cush to help them. They bragged about what Egypt could do for them. But they will lose heart and be put to shame.

Then everyone who lives in Egypt will know that I am the Lord.“‘ “You have been like a walking stick made out of a papyrus stem. The people of Israel tried to lean on you.They took hold of you. But you broke under their weight. You tore open their shoulders. The people of Israel leaned on you. But you snapped in two. And their backs were broken.” ’ ”

The king of Egypt didn’t march out from his own country again. That’s because the king of Babylon had taken so much of his territory. It reached from the Wadi of Egypt all the way to the Euphrates River.

“ How terrible it will be for these stubborn children of mine!” announces the Lord.“ How terrible for those who carry out plans that did not come from me! Their agreement with Egypt did not come from my Spirit. So they pile up one sin on top of another.They go down to Egypt without asking me for advice. They look to Pharaoh to help them. They ask Egypt to keep them safe.But looking to Pharaoh will only bring them shame. Asking Egypt for help will bring them dishonor.Their officials have gone to the city of Zoan. Their messengers have arrived in Hanes.But the people of Judah will be put to shame. That’s because they are trusting in a nation that is useless to them. Egypt will not bring them any help or advantage. Instead, it will bring them shame and dishonor.”Here is a prophecy the Lord gave me about the animals in the Negev Desert. Judah’s messengers carry their riches on the backs of donkeys. They carry their treasures on the humps of camels. They travel through a land of danger and suffering. It’s a land filled with lions. Poisonous snakes are also there. The messengers travel to a nation that can’t do them any good.They travel to Egypt, whose help is totally useless. That’s why I call it Rahab the Do- Nothing.

The Lord is the God of Israel. He says,“ The king of Judah has sent you to ask me for advice. Tell him,‘ Pharaoh’s army has marched out to help you. But it will go back to its own land. It will return to Egypt.Then the armies of Babylon will come back here. They will attack this city. They will capture it. Then they will burn it down.’“ The Lord says,‘ Do not fool yourselves. You think,“ The Babylonians will leave us alone.” But they will not!Suppose you destroy all the armies of Babylon that are attacking you. Suppose only wounded men are left in their tents. Even then they will come out and burn down this city.’ ”

Jerusalem’s people are suffering and wandering. They remember all the treasures they used to have. But they fell into the hands of their enemies. And no one was there to help them. Their enemies looked at them. They laughed because Jerusalem had been destroyed.

Why do you keep on changing your ways so much? Assyria did not help you. And Egypt will not help you either.

The people say,“ The harvest is over. The summer has ended. And we still haven’t been saved.”

“ I called out to those who were going to help me. But they turned against me. My priests and elders died in the city. They were searching for food just to stay alive.

Why do you go to Egypt to drink water from the Nile River? Why do you go to Assyria to drink from the Euphrates River?

How terrible it will be for those who go down to Egypt for help! How terrible for those who depend on horses! They trust in how many chariots they have. They trust in how strong their horsemen are. But they don’t look to the Holy One of Israel. They don’t ask the Lord for his help.He too is wise. He can bring horrible trouble. He does what he says he’ll do. He’ll rise up against that evil nation. He’ll fight against those who help them.The men of Egypt are only human beings. They aren’t God. Their horses are only flesh and blood. They aren’t spirits. The Lord will reach out his powerful hand to punish everyone. The Egyptians provide help. But they will be tripped up. The people of Judah receive the help. But they will fall down. All of them will be destroyed.