1 H e that dasheth in pieces is come up against thee: keep the fortress, watch the way, make thy loins strong, fortify thy power mightily.

¶ The destroyer is risen up against thee: keep the fortress, watch the way, make thy loins strong, fortify thy power mightily.

2 F or Jehovah restoreth the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel; for the emptiers have emptied them out, and destroyed their vine-branches.

For the LORD shall restore the glory of Jacob as the glory of Israel; for the emptiers have emptied them out and marred their vine branches.

3 T he shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men are in scarlet: the chariots flash with steel in the day of his preparation, and the cypress spears are brandished.

The shield of his valiant ones shall be red, the men of his army are in scarlet, the chariot as fire of torches in the day which shall be made ready; the fir trees shall be terribly shaken.

4 T he chariots rage in the streets; they rush to and fro in the broad ways: the appearance of them is like torches; they run like the lightnings.

The chariots shall rage in the streets; they shall flow through the streets, their faces like torches; they shall run like the lightnings.

5 H e remembereth his nobles: they stumble in their march; they make haste to the wall thereof, and the mantelet is prepared.

He shall remember his valiant ones; they shall stumble in their walk when they make haste to their wall, and the covering shall be prepared.

6 T he gates of the rivers are opened, and the palace is dissolved.

The gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be destroyed.

7 A nd it is decreed: she is uncovered, she is carried away; and her handmaids moan as with the voice of doves, beating upon their breasts.

And the queen shall be taken captive; they shall order her to go up, and her maids shall take her, mourning as with the voice of doves, beating upon their breasts.

8 B ut Nineveh hath been from of old like a pool of water: yet they flee away. Stand, stand, they cry; but none looketh back.

And Nineveh was of old like a pool of water; but now they flee away. Stand, stand, shall they cry; but no one looks back.

9 T ake ye the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold; for there is no end of the store, the glory of all goodly furniture.

Take the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold, for there is no end of the riches; honour, more than all the desirable furniture.

10 S he is empty, and void, and waste; and the heart melteth, and the knees smite together, and anguish is in all loins, and the faces of them all are waxed pale.

She is empty and worn out and is in pieces, and the heart melted, the knees smite together, and much pain is in the kidneys, and the faces of them all gather blackness.

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

¶ What of the dwelling of the lions and of the feeding place of the young lions where the lion and the lioness walked and the lion’s whelps, and no one made them afraid?

12 T he lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his caves with prey, and his dens with ravin.

The lion tore in pieces enough for his whelps and strangled for his lionesses and filled his holes with prey and his dens with robbery.

13 B ehold, I am against thee, saith Jehovah of hosts, and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword shall devour thy young lions; and I will cut off thy prey from the earth, and the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard.

Behold, I speak unto thee, saith the LORD of the hosts, and I will burn and reduce thy chariots into smoke, and the sword shall devour thy young lions; and I will cut off thy robbery from the earth, and the voice of thy ambassadors shall never be heard again.