Prophecy 1

Key

Simply the alphabet in reverse.

Translation

swan not mute red tulip cries 36 explains 89 rule the flawed alexander at thebes day is coming klein to sprewell rao made us

Hidden Message

None.

Interpretation

Between 37 and 40, 94 and 102
Great shifts occur
Time and space collide

These are coordinates for the state of Kansas and, of course, where Ezra received his visions.

The yellow bounty swells
The green torment spews
The black heart smirks

"The yellow bounty" is corn. "The green torment" must refer to experiments with Kryptonite. The black heart can only be Lionel... or Lex...

swan not mute

"Swan not mute" means that Virgil Swann (Christopher Reeve's character) will talk (to an outsider?) about Clark's heritage. Another possibility is that there's a type of swan called a mute swan, and maybe this is just a play on that fact-- perhaps just that Smallville will have a "swan(n)" that's not mute.

red tulip cries

A reference to Martha Kent; remember that, in "Pilot," Jonathan buys red tulips for Martha because they're her favorite.

36 explains 89

The Ezra Small diaries were written in 1836, and they explain 1989's meteor shower and its effects.

rule the flawed

Jor-El commanded Clark to rule the flawed human race.

alexander at thebes

Alexander the Great's rise to power began with the destruction of Thebes. What, or whom, will be Lex's Thebes?

day is coming

After putting the octagonal disc in the cave wall, Dr. Walden began ranting and raving, "The day is coming... The day is coming!"

klein to sprewell

I had to Google this to make sense of it, but the search was worthwhile. I found the following news article at Canoe.com:

"Fashion designer Calvin Klein was escorted back to his courtside seat during the Knicks-Raptors game on Monday night after approaching Knicks star Latrell Sprewell. Sprewell was alarmed when Klein walked up to speak to him as he was about to throw an inbounds pass with 2:11 remaining in the fourth quarter. "No, I wasn't nervous. I was a little surprised, like is security going to come over here at some point or what? I didn't know that was him," Sprewell said. Klein grabbed Sprewell by the arm and mumbled a few words before being ushered back to his seat by Garden security and an unidentified companion, the New York Daily News reported. Sprewell declined to say what Klein told him."

This incident occurred on 24 March 2003. I've searched Google pretty thoroughly, but no source seems to know what Klein said to Sprewell. Is this reference helpful? Not particularly. Is it interesting? Absolutely!

rao made us

Rao is the Kryptonian god. Humans and Kryptonians may have a common ancestry. A later Prophecy says Ra made us, and Ra is an Egyptian god.

One eye looks down
Upon the gentle animal people
Do not defile their spirits

The Kawatche people speak of the wolf constellation, complete with two "eyes." One of these eyes is no more-- that eye was the planet Krypton, home of everyone's favorite Big Dumb Alien. Also, this might refer to a symbol known as "the All-Seeing Eye." The Eye is a single human eye surrounded by radiating beams of light. It is found in many eras and cultures and is generally a symbol of the watchful and protective power of the Supreme Being, especially when that entity is considered in a solar or heavenly context. It appears on the Great Seal of the United States and is one of the many beautiful symbols of Freemasonry, where it represents the Great Architect of the Universe. The All-Seeing Eye is also known as the Eye of God (Thanks to KSite's TheManOfTomorrow).

Near Morris, Rice and Sedgwick
A great fire will fall from the sky
Not the first time nor the last

A description of the 1989 meteor shower ("Pilot"). The 1989 shower was not the last to hit Smallville; an equally-devastating shower struck in "Commencement."

On wings of flame
Descends the last son
None shall overcome him

Clark/Kal-El, the Last Son of Krypton, descended from above in the meteor shower.

Weak brains ridicule
Those who see truth
There are many flocks

People in Smallville who discover truths are often ridiculed, like poor burninated Dr. Walden.

The glove conceals a fist
From good to evil
He will not escape his path

According to the Superman mythos, Lex Luthor wears a Kryptonite ring for years, and the exposure poisons his hand. "Hourglass" acknowledged this in Cassandra's vision of Lex's future and, in Season 4's "Scare," Lex's dream of his own future. In these visions, President Luthor stood in a field of sunflowers that withered with a touch of Lex's black-gloved hand.

By the bones of her ancestors
She meets an angel
Who would be a man

In one of Lana's many visits to her parents' graves (yes, they died, though it's a huge secret!), Clark approaches her, and a large statue of an angel is right behind him ("Pilot").

Eightfold survivor of millennia
Spins destruction and mayhem
Eats, molts, dies

Grek Arkin, aka "Bug Boy," ate, molted, and died in "Metamorphosis." Also, the first issue of the Smallville comic book describes kryptonite as an eightfold survivor of millennia that spins destruction and mayhem.

Attention Albuquerque
Cease transmission
National security item

In 1947, the Roswell UFO incident occurred, and a witness trying to send an account via telegraph received this message.

Break free
From boundaries
By flourishing

I'm not sure, but my guess is that this refers to the Luthor family's modus operandi. After all, the Luthors seem to think their fabulous wealth and power allow them to transcend the law. Another possibility is that this refers to Lana breaking free of Smallville's boundaries by flourishing in Paris.

The trembling sufferer expires
His saddened spouse mourns
Now comes the third level

In "Jitters," kryptonite-poisoned Earl Jenkins had violent seizures that eventually killed him... But not before he exposed Lionel Luthor's secret project in the hidden Level 3 of the LuthorCorp Plant. Jenkins' wife was in the Chloe Chronicles and provided Chloe with proof that Jenkins was telling the truth-- Earl's boots, covered in fragments of green rock.

The divine wrath overtakes the great prince
A short while before he will marry
Both supporters and credit will suddenly diminish

Refers to Lionel's attempt to close the Smallville Luthorcorp plant and sabatoge Lex's reputation in "Tempest." This is also another prophecy of Nostrodamus. The last line is Counsel, he will die because of the shaven heads.

Prepare yourselves
Tzaruch shemirah hasof bah
The end is near

A warning concerning Armageddon. The second line is Hebrew, and news stories describe how two men recently claimed to have heard a fish speak these words. Essentially, this whole passage translates to "Prepare yourselves and atone for your sins, for the end is near." The two steadfastly claim the carp spoke this message, but they're not sure whether this "miracle" was from God or merely demonic.

One perfect, weightless moment
At the twilight of a too-short life
Two brothers bid farewell

Refers to the hot-air balloon ride and death of Ryan in "Ryan." Clark mentioned that he thought of Ryan as a little brother, and the two "brothers" spent time together in the sky even though Clark's afraid of heights.