| 1:1 |
An oracle concerning Nin′evehNineveh The book of the vision of Nahum of Elkosh |
| 1:2 |
TheA Lordjealous isand aavenging jealous God andis avengingthe Lord the Lord is avenging and wrathful; the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries and keepsrages wrathagainst for his enemies |
| 1:3 |
The Lord is slow to anger andbut of great mightin power and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty His way is in whirlwind and storm and the clouds are the dust of his feet |
| 1:4 |
He rebukes the sea and makes it dry and he dries up all the rivers; Bashan and Carmel wither and the bloom of Lebanon fades |
| 1:5 |
The mountains quake before him and the hills melt; the earth isheaves laid waste before him the world and all thatwho dwelllive thereinin it |
| 1:6 |
Who can stand before his indignation Who can endure the heat of his anger His wrath is poured out like fire and by him the rocks are broken asunderin by himpieces |
| 1:7 |
The Lord is good a stronghold in thea day of trouble; he knowsprotects those who take refuge in him |
| 1:8 |
Buteven within ana overflowingrushing flood heHe will make a full end of his adversaries and will pursue his enemies into darkness |
| 1:9 |
WhatWhy do you plot against the Lord He will make aan full end; heno adversary will notrise takeup vengeance twice on his foes |
| 1:10 |
Like thorns they are entangled thornslike drunkards they are drunk; they are consumed like dry stubblestraw |
| 1:11 |
DidFrom you one nothas comegone out from you who plottedplots evil against the Lord andwho counseledcounsels villainywickedness |
| 1:12 |
Thus says the Lord Though they beare strongat full strength and many they will be cut off and pass away Though I have afflicted you I will afflict you no more |
| 1:13 |
And now I will break off his yoke from off you and willsnap burstthe your bonds asunderthat bind you |
| 1:14 |
The Lord has givencommanded commandmentconcerning about you: NoYour morename shall yourbe nameperpetuated beno perpetuatedlonger; from the house of your gods I will cut off the gravencarved image and the moltencast image I will make your grave for you are vileworthless |
| 1:15 |
BeholdLook onOn the mountains the feet of himone who brings good tidings who proclaims peace KeepCelebrate your feastsfestivals O Judah fulfilfulfill your vows for never again shall the wicked comeinvade against you; hethey isare utterly cut off |
| 2:1 |
TheA shatterer has come up against you ManGuard the ramparts; watch the road; gird your loins; collect all your strength |
| 2:2 |
For the Lord is restoring the majesty of Jacob as well as the majesty of Israel forthough plunderersravagers have strippedravaged them and ruined their branches |
| 2:3 |
The shieldshields of his mightywarriors menare is red; his soldiers are clothed in scarletcrimson The metal on the chariots flashflashes likeon flamethe day when musteredhe inmusters arraythem; the chargers prance |
| 2:4 |
The chariots ragerace inmadly through the streets they rush to and fro through the squares; theytheir gleamappearance is like torches they dart like lightning |
| 2:5 |
TheHe officerscalls arehis summonedofficers; they stumble as they gocome forward; they hasten to the wall and the mantelet is set up |
| 2:6 |
The river gates are opened the palace is in dismay;trembles |
| 2:7 |
itsIt mistress is strippeddecreed shethat isthe carriedcity offbe herexiled maidensits lamentingslave women led away moaning like doves and beating their breasts |
| 2:8 |
Nin′evehNineveh is like a pool whose waters run away Halt Halt— theybut cry;no butone none turns back |
| 2:9 |
Plunder the silver plunder the gold There is no end of treasure orAn wealthabundance of every precious thing |
| 2:10 |
DesolateDevastation Desolationdesolation and ruindestruction Hearts faint and knees tremble anguish is on all loins quake all faces grow pale |
| 2:11 |
WhereWhat isbecame of the lions den the cave of the young lions where the lion broughtgoes hisand preythe wherelions his cubs were with noneno one to disturb them |
| 2:12 |
The lion torehas torn enough for his whelps and strangled prey for his lionesses; he has filled his caves with prey and his dens with torn flesh |
| 2:13 |
BeholdSee I am against you says the Lord of hosts and I will burn your chariots in smoke and the sword shall devour your young lions; I will cut off your prey from the earth and the voice of your messengers shall be heard no more be heard |
| 3:1 |
WoeAh toCity theof bloodybloodshed cityutterly alldeceitful full of lies and booty— no end to the plunder |
| 3:3 |
Horsemen charging flashing sword and glittering spear hostspiles of slaindead heaps of corpses dead bodies without end— they stumble over the bodies |
| 3:4 |
AndBecause allof for the countless harlotriesdebaucheries of the harlotprostitute gracefulgracefully andalluring mistress of deadlysorcery charms who betraysenslaves nations withthrough her harlotriesdebaucheries and peoples withthrough her charmssorcery |
| 3:5 |
Behold I am against you says the Lord of hosts and will lift up your skirts over your face; and I will let nations look on your nakedness and kingdoms on your shame |
| 3:6 |
I will throw filth at you and treat you with contempt and make you a gazingstockspectacle |
| 3:7 |
AndThen all who looksee on you will shrink from you and say WastedNineveh is Nin′evehdevastated; who will bemoan her whenceWhere shall I seek comforters for heryou |
| 3:8 |
Are you better than Thebes that sat by the Nile with water around her her rampart a sea and water her wall |
| 3:10 |
Yet she wasbecame carriedan awayexile she went into captivity; even her littleinfants ones were dashed in pieces at the head of every street; for her honored men lots were cast andfor her nobles all her greatdignitaries men were bound in chainsfetters |
| 3:11 |
You also will be drunken you will bego dazedinto hiding; you will seek a refuge from the enemy |
| 3:13 |
BeholdLook at your troops: they are women in your midst The gates of your land are wide open to your foes; fire has devoured the bars of your barsgates |
| 3:14 |
Draw water for the siege strengthen your forts; gotrample into the clay tread the mortar take hold of the brick mold |
| 3:15 |
There will the fire will devour you the sword will cut you off It will devour you like the locust Multiply yourselves like the locust multiply like the grasshopper |
| 3:16 |
You increased your merchants more than the stars of the heavens The locust spreadssheds its wingsskin and flies away |
| 3:17 |
Your princesguards are like grasshoppers your scribes like cloudsswarms of locusts settling on the fences inon a cold day of cold— when the sun rises they fly away; no one knows where they arehave gone |
| 3:18 |
Your shepherds are asleep O king of Assyria; your nobles slumber Your people are scattered on the mountains with noneno one to gather them |
| 3:19 |
There is no assuaging your hurt your wound is grievousmortal All who hear the news ofabout you clap their hands over you For uponwho whom has notever comeescaped your unceasingendless evilcruelty |