1 H e who scatters has come up before your face. Man the fort! Watch the road! Strengthen your flanks! Fortify your power mightily.

The one who scatters has come up against you. Man the fortress, watch the road; Strengthen your back, summon all your strength.

2 F or the Lord will restore the excellence of Jacob Like the excellence of Israel, For the emptiers have emptied them out And ruined their vine branches.

For the Lord will restore the splendor of Jacob Like the splendor of Israel, Even though devastators have devastated them And destroyed their vine branches.

3 T he shields of his mighty men are made red, The valiant men are in scarlet. The chariots come with flaming torches In the day of his preparation, And the spears are brandished.

The shields of his mighty men are colored red, The warriors are dressed in scarlet, The chariots are enveloped in flashing steel When he is prepared to march, And the cypress spears are brandished.

4 T he chariots rage in the streets, They jostle one another in the broad roads; They seem like torches, They run like lightning.

The chariots race madly in the streets, They rush wildly in the squares, Their appearance is like torches, They dash to and fro like lightning flashes.

5 H e remembers his nobles; They stumble in their walk; They make haste to her walls, And the defense is prepared.

He remembers his nobles; They stumble in their march, They hurry to her wall, And the mantelet is set up.

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

The gates of the rivers are opened And the palace is dissolved.

7 I t is decreed: She shall be led away captive, She shall be brought up; And her maidservants shall lead her as with the voice of doves, Beating their breasts.

It is fixed: She is stripped, she is carried away, And her handmaids are moaning like the sound of doves, Beating on their breasts.

8 T hough Nineveh of old was like a pool of water, Now they flee away. “Halt! Halt!” they cry; But no one turns back.

Though Nineveh was like a pool of water throughout her days, Now they are fleeing; “Stop, stop,” But no one turns back.

9 T ake spoil of silver! Take spoil of gold! There is no end of treasure, Or wealth of every desirable prize.

Plunder the silver! Plunder the gold! For there is no limit to the treasure— Wealth from every kind of desirable object.

10 S he is empty, desolate, and waste! The heart melts, and the knees shake; Much pain is in every side, And all their faces are drained of color.

She is emptied! Yes, she is desolate and waste! Hearts are melting and knees knocking! Also anguish is in the whole body And all their faces are grown pale!

11 W here is the dwelling of the lions, And the feeding place of the young lions, Where the lion walked, the lioness and lion’s cub, And no one made them afraid?

Where is the den of the lions And the feeding place of the young lions, Where the lion, lioness and lion’s cub prowled, With nothing to disturb them ?

12 T he lion tore in pieces enough for his cubs, Killed for his lionesses, Filled his caves with prey, And his dens with flesh.

The lion tore enough for his cubs, Killed enough for his lionesses, And filled his lairs with prey And his dens with torn flesh.

13 “ Behold, I am against you,” says the Lord of hosts, “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.”

“Behold, I am against you,” declares the Lord of hosts. “I will burn up her chariots in smoke, a sword will devour your young lions; I will cut off your prey from the land, and no longer will the voice of your messengers be heard.”