Those who are the pillars of the land will be crushed: In Masoretic Text the pillars of the land is literally “her pillars” or “her foundations” (so New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). The Hebrew word in Masoretic Text is shathotheha, which comes from a root meaning “to set/place.” However, a Dead Sea Scrolls text indicates that the Hebrew should be read as shothetheha, which is literally “her weavers” since it comes from a root meaning “to weave.” Most translations favor this reading, and it is recommended by Hebrew Old Testament Text Project as well. This fits the context better since it continues the topic of verse 9. Revised English Bible has “Egypt’s spinners” since the pronoun “her” refers to Egypt (rendered the land in Revised Standard Version). The verb be crushed refers figuratively to despair. Alternative renderings are “be broken” (Good News Translation), “dismayed” (New Jerusalem Bible), “be downcast” (Revised English Bible), and “be dejected” (New International Version).

And all who work for hire will be grieved: This line closes the subsection with a general reference to all the hired workers. Some versions link all who work for hire to the activities described in the preceding verses; for example, Bible en français courant has “those who earned their living in this way.” Good News Translation speaks of “skilled workers” and New International Version more generally of “all the wage earners.” Be grieved (literally “be grieved of soul”) is parallel to be broken, referring also to depression.

Some translation examples for this verse are:

• Her [or, Egypt’s] weavers will be crushed [in spirit],
all her hired workers dejected.

• Her weavers will be depressed,
and all who work for hire dismayed in spirit.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Sterk, Jan. A Handbook on Isaiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .