Isaiah 19:15

Egypt will not be able to do a thing, head or tail, shoots and stalk. ¹ 

There is nothing Egypt can do—head or tail, palm branch or reed.

There will be no work for Egypt Which its head or tail, its palm branch or bulrush, may do.

Nobody in Egypt, whether rich or poor, important or unknown, can offer any help.

Egypt's hopeless, past helping, a senile, doddering old fool.

And in Egypt there will be no work for any man, head or tail, high or low, to do.

Neither head nor tail, palm branch or reed, will be able to do anything for Egypt.

Neither will there be any work for Egypt, Which the head or tail, Palm branch or bulrush, may do.

Egypt will not be able to do a thing, head or tail, shoots and stalk. ¹ 

¹ tn Heb “And there will not be for Egypt a deed, which head and tail, shoot and stalk can do.” In 9:14-15 the phrase “head or tail” refers to leaders and prophets, respectively. This interpretation makes good sense in this context, where both leaders and advisers (probably including prophets and diviners) are mentioned (vv. 11-14). Here, as in 9:14, “shoots and stalk” picture a reed, which symbolizes the leadership of the nation in its entirety.