# they have made Egypt go astray, who are the cornerstones of her tribes

The princes of Zoan and Memphis are spoken of as if they are the cornerstones of buildings because they are an important part of the community. AT: "the leaders have made Egypt go astray" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# princes of Zoan

Zoan is a city in northern Egypt. See how you translated this in [Isaiah 19:11](./11.md).

# Memphis

This is a city in the northern part of Egypt. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]])

# made Egypt go astray

The word "Egypt" represents the people of Egypt. Going astray represents doing what is wrong. AT: "made the people of Egypt go astray" or "made the people of Egypt do what is wrong" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# Yahweh has mixed a spirit of distortion into her midst

Isaiah speaks of Yahweh's judgment as if Egypt was a cup of wine. He speaks of Yahweh causing the leaders' thoughts to be distorted as if their distorted thoughts were a liquid that Yahweh mixed in with the wine. AT: "Yahweh has judged them by distorting their thoughts" or "Yahweh has judged Egypt by distorting its leaders' thoughts, as intoxicating drinks confuse people's thoughts" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# distortion

"perverseness" or "confusion"

# into her midst

Here "her" refers to Egypt. Nations are sometimes spoken of as if they were women. AT: "within Egypt" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-personification]])

# they have led Egypt astray

Here, "they" refers to the leaders described in the previous verses. The word "Egypt" represents the people of Egypt. AT: "the princes have led the people of Egypt astray" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]])

# have led Egypt astray

Leading people astray represents influencing them to do what is wrong. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# like a drunk staggering in his vomit

Isaiah speaks of the people of Egypt doing what is wrong as if they were made to wander about like a drunken person. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-simile]])

# whether head or tail

The "head," the part of an animal a person would want to be, represents the leader. The "tail" is the opposite and represents people who follow. AT: "whether leader or follower" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# palm branch or reed

The "palm branch" grows high on the tree and represents people who are wealthy and important. The "reed" grows in shallow water and represents people who are poor and unimportant. See how you translated similar phrases in [Isaiah 9:14](../09/13.md). AT: "whether they are important or unimportant" or "whether rich or poor" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# translationWords

* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/prince]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/foolish]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/deceive]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/egypt]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/astray]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/cornerstone]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/tribe]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/yahweh]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/spirit]]