1 W oe to the bloody city! It is full of lies and booty and no end to the plunder!

Woe to the bloody city! It is all full of lies and robbery. Its victim never departs.

2 T he cracking of the whip, the noise of the rattling of wheels, and prancing horses and chariots rumbling and bounding,

The noise of a whip And the noise of rattling wheels, Of galloping horses, Of clattering chariots!

3 H orsemen mounting and charging, the flashing sword, the gleaming spear, a multitude of slain and a great number of corpses, no end of corpses! stumble over the corpses!

Horsemen charge with bright sword and glittering spear. There is a multitude of slain, A great number of bodies, Countless corpses— They stumble over the corpses—

4 A ll because of the multitude of the harlotries, the well-favored harlot, the mistress of deadly charms who betrays and sells nations through her whoredoms and peoples through her enchantments.

Because of the multitude of harlotries of the seductive harlot, The mistress of sorceries, Who sells nations through her harlotries, And families through her sorceries.

5 B ehold, I am against you, says the Lord of hosts, and I will lift up your skirts over your face, and I will let the nations look on your nakedness and the kingdoms on your shame.

“Behold, I am against you,” says the Lord of hosts; “I will lift your skirts over your face, I will show the nations your nakedness, And the kingdoms your shame.

6 I will cast abominable things at you and make you filthy, treat you with contempt, and make you a gazingstock.

I will cast abominable filth upon you, Make you vile, And make you a spectacle.

7 A nd all who look on you will shrink and flee from you and say, Nineveh is laid waste; who will pity and bemoan her? Where shall I seek comforters for you?

It shall come to pass that all who look upon you Will flee from you, and say, ‘Nineveh is laid waste! Who will bemoan her?’ Where shall I seek comforters for you?”

8 A re you better than No-amon, that dwelt by the rivers or canals, that had the waters round about her, whose rampart was a sea and water her wall?

Are you better than No Amon That was situated by the River, That had the waters around her, Whose rampart was the sea, Whose wall was the sea?

9 E thiopia and Egypt were her strength, and that without limit. Put and the Libyans were her helpers.

Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength, And it was boundless; Put and Lubim were your helpers.

10 Y et she was carried away; she went into captivity. Her young children also were dashed in pieces at all the street corners; lots were cast for her nobles, and all her great men were bound with chains.

Yet she was carried away, She went into captivity; Her young children also were dashed to pieces At the head of every street; They cast lots for her honorable men, And all her great men were bound in chains.

11 Y ou will be drunk; you will be dazed. You will seek and require a refuge because of the enemy.

You also will be drunk; You will be hidden; You also will seek refuge from the enemy.

12 A ll your fortresses are fig trees with early figs; if they are shaken they will fall into the mouth of the eater.

All your strongholds are fig trees with ripened figs: If they are shaken, They fall into the mouth of the eater.

13 B ehold, your troops in the midst of you are women; the gates of your land are set wide open to your enemies; fire consumes your bars.

Surely, your people in your midst are women! The gates of your land are wide open for your enemies; Fire shall devour the bars of your gates.

14 D raw for yourself the water for a siege, make strong your fortresses! Go down into the clay pits and trample the mortar; make ready the brickkiln!

Draw your water for the siege! Fortify your strongholds! Go into the clay and tread the mortar! Make strong the brick kiln!

15 t here will the fire devour you; the sword will cut you off; it will destroy you as the locusts. Multiply yourselves like the licking locusts; make yourselves many like the swarming locusts!

There the fire will devour you, The sword will cut you off; It will eat you up like a locust. Make yourself many—like the locust! Make yourself many— like the swarming locusts!

16 Y ou increased your merchants more than the stars of the heavens. The swarming locust spreads itself and destroys, and then flies away.

You have multiplied your merchants more than the stars of heaven. The locust plunders and flies away.

17 Y our princes are like the grasshoppers and your marshals like the swarms of locusts which encamp in the hedges on a cold day—but when the sun rises, they fly away, and no one knows where they are.

Your commanders are like swarming locusts, And your generals like great grasshoppers, Which camp in the hedges on a cold day; When the sun rises they flee away, And the place where they are is not known.

18 Y our shepherds are asleep, O king of Assyria; your nobles are lying still. Your people are scattered on the mountains and there is no one to gather them.

Your shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria; Your nobles rest in the dust. Your people are scattered on the mountains, And no one gathers them.

19 T here is no healing of your hurt; your wound is grievous. All who hear the news about you clap their hands over you. For upon whom has not your evil come continually?

Your injury has no healing, Your wound is severe. All who hear news of you Will clap their hands over you, For upon whom has not your wickedness passed continually?