1 Woe to the land of buzzing wings beyond the rivers of Cush,
2 that sends envoys by sea in papyrus boats over the water! Go, swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth-skinned, to a people dreaded near and far, a nation mighty and conquering, whose land is cut through by rivers.
3 All you who live in the world, you who dwell on the earth: when a banner is raised on the mountains, watch; when the trumpet sounds, listen!
4 For this is what the LORD told me: "I will stay quiet and look on from my dwelling, like the glowing heat in bright sunshine, like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest."
5 For before the harvest, once the budding is done and the blossom turns into a ripening grape, he will cut off the shoots with pruning knives and hack away and remove the spreading branches.
6 They will all be abandoned to the birds of prey on the mountains and to the wild animals; the birds of prey will feed on them all summer, and all the wild animals all winter.
7 At that time gifts will be brought to the LORD of hosts from a people tall and smooth-skinned, from a people dreaded near and far, a nation mighty and conquering, whose land is cut through by rivers; they will be brought to Mount Zion, the place of the name of the LORD of hosts.