1 T he one who destroys has come against you, O Nineveh. Put men on the battle-walls. Watch the road. Be strong. Be ready for battle.

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 make Jacob great again, like the greatness of Israel, even when destroyers have destroyed them and 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 battle-coverings of his strong men are red. His men of war are dressed in red. The war-wagons shine like fire when they are made ready. The cypress spears are waved.

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 war-wagons race in the streets. They rush through the city. They look like fire and move 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 T he leaders are called. They lose their step as they go, and hurry to the wall. The battle-covering is set up.

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

6 T he river gates are opened, and the king’s house falls down.

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

7 T he city is laid waste and the people are carried away. Her women servants are crying like doves, beating on 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 N ineveh is like a pool, where water runs away. “Stop! Stop!” 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 the silver! Take the gold! For there is no end of the riches, every kind of thing of great worth.

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

10 E verything has been taken from her! Yes, she is an empty waste! Hearts are melting in fear and knees are knocking! All bodies suffer, and all their faces turn white!

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 home of the lions, the place where they feed their young, where the male and female and young lions went, with nothing to be afraid of?

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 killed enough for his young, and for his female lions. He filled his home with food, with torn 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 “ I am against you,” says the Lord of All. “I will burn up your war-wagons in smoke. A sword will destroy your young lions. I will cut off your food from the land. And the voice of your men who came with news will never be heard again.”

“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.”