1 H e who dashes in pieces is come up before your face. Keep the fortress and ramparts manned, watch the road, gird your loins, collect and fortify all your strength and power mightily.

He who dashes in pieces is come up before your face. Keep the fortress and ramparts manned, watch the road, gird your loins, collect and fortify all your strength and power mightily.

2 F or the Lord restores the excellency of Jacob as the excellency of Israel, for plunderers have plundered them and emptied them out and destroyed their vine branches.

For the Lord restores the excellency of Jacob as the excellency of Israel, for plunderers have plundered them and emptied them out and destroyed their vine branches.

3 T he shields of the mighty men are red; the valiant men are in dyed scarlet. The chariots blaze with fire of steel on the day of his preparation, and the officers’ horses prance like a cypress forest.

The shields of the mighty men are red; the valiant men are in dyed scarlet. The chariots blaze with fire of steel on the day of his preparation, and the officers’ horses prance like a cypress forest.

4 T he chariots rage in confusion in the streets; they run to and fro in the broad ways. They flash with steel; they rush like forked lightnings.

The chariots rage in confusion in the streets; they run to and fro in the broad ways. They flash with steel; they rush like forked lightnings.

5 r emembers and summons his bravest men; they stumble in their march. They hasten to the city’s wall, and their movable defense shelter is prepared and set up.

remembers and summons his bravest men; they stumble in their march. They hasten to the city’s wall, and their movable defense shelter is prepared and set up.

6 T he gates or dams of the rivers are opened and the palace is dissolved and is in dismay.

The gates or dams of the rivers are opened and the palace is dissolved and is in dismay.

7 I t is decreed. She is stripped and removed, and her maids are lamenting and moaning like doves, beating upon their breasts.

It is decreed. She is stripped and removed, and her maids are lamenting and moaning like doves, beating upon their breasts.

8 A nd Nineveh, like a standing pool are her waters and are fleeing away! Stand! Stand, but no one looks back or causes them to return.

And Nineveh, like a standing pool are her waters and are fleeing away! Stand! Stand, but no one looks back or causes them to return.

9 T ake the spoil of silver; take the spoil of gold! For there is no end of the treasure, the glory and wealth of all the precious furnishings.

Take the spoil of silver; take the spoil of gold! For there is no end of the treasure, the glory and wealth of all the precious furnishings.

10 E mptiness! Desolation! Utter waste! Hearts faint and knees smite together, and anguish is in all loins, and the faces of all grow pale!

Emptiness! Desolation! Utter waste! Hearts faint and knees smite together, and anguish is in all loins, and the faces of all grow pale!

11 W here is the den of the lions which was the feeding place of the young lions, where the lion and the lioness walked, and the lion’s whelp, and none made them afraid?

Where is the den of the lions which was the feeding place of the young lions, where the lion and the lioness walked, and the lion’s whelp, and none made them afraid?

12 T he lion tore in pieces enough for his whelps and strangled for his lionesses; he filled his caves with prey and his dens with what he had seized and carried off.

The lion tore in pieces enough for his whelps and strangled for his lionesses; he filled his caves with prey and his dens with what he had seized and carried off.

13 B ehold, I am against you, says the Lord of hosts, and I will burn your chariots in the smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions. And I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers shall no more be heard.

Behold, I am against you, says the Lord of hosts, and I will burn your chariots in the smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions. And I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers shall no more be heard.