1 H e who dashes in pieces has come up against you. Keep the fortress! Watch the way! Strengthen your waist! Fortify your power mightily!

قَدْ خَرَجَ مُبَدِّدُ الشُّعُوبِ لِيُهاجِمَكَ يا مَلِكَ أشُّورَ. فَاحْرُسِ الأماكِنَ المُحَصَّنَةَ، راقِبِ الطَّرِيقَ. أعِدَّ تَجهِيزاتِ المَعرَكَةِ، جَهِّزْ نَفسَكَ بِقُوَّةٍ عَظِيمَةٍ.

2 F or Yahweh restores the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel; for the destroyers have destroyed them, and ruined their vine branches.

لِأنَّ اللهَ سَيَرُدُّ مَجدَ يَعقُوبَ، لِيَكُونَ كَمَجدِ إسْرائِيلَ. فَقَدْ أخرَبَهُمُ المُخَرِّبُونَ، وَقَدْ أتلَفُوا كُرُومَ إسْرائِيلَ.

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 pine spears are brandished.

تُرُوسُ محارِبيهِ حَمراءُ، وَثِيابُ جُنُودِهِ قُرمُزِيَّةٌ. مَعدِنُ المَرْكَبةِ يَلمَعُ كَالنّارِ، فِي يَومِ استِعدادِهِ لِلمَعرَكَةِ، وَالرِّماحُ مُهتَزَّةٌ.

4 T he chariots rage in the streets. They rush back and forth in the wide ways. Their appearance is like torches. They run like the lightnings.

تَندَفِعُ المَركَباتُ بِعُنْفٍ فِي الشَّوارِعِ، تَتَسابَقُ مَعاً فِي السّاحاتِ. يَبدُونَ مِثلَ مَشاعِلَ. يَندَفِعُونَ كَالبَرقِ.

5 H e summons his picked troops. They stumble on their way. They dash to its wall, and the protective shield is put in place.

يُعطِي المُبَدِّدُ أوامِرَ لِقادَتِهِ، فَيَتَعَثَّرُونَ إذْ يَتَقَدَّمُونَ. يُسرِعُونَ إلَى السُّورِ، وَيَنْصِبُونَ بُرُوجَ الحِصارِ.

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

انفَتَحَتْ أبوابُ الفَيَضانِ، وَانْهارَ قَصْرُ المَلِكِ.

7 I t is decreed: she is uncovered, she is carried away; and her servants moan as with the voice of doves, beating on their breasts.

تُجَرَّدُ المَلِكَةُ وَتُسْبَى، وَتُؤْخَذُ جَوارِيها بَعِيداً. يَقرَعْنَ عَلَى صُدُورِهِنَّ، وَيَتَنَهَّدْنَ تَنَهُّداً كَهَدِيلِ الحَمامِ.

8 B ut Nineveh has been from of old like a pool of water, yet they flee away. “Stop! Stop!” they cry, but no one looks back.

نِينَوَى مِثلَ بِرْكَةِ ماءٍ يَرْشَحُ ماؤُها مِنْها بِسُرعَةٍ. يَقُولُ قادَتُها: «تَوَقَّفْ! تَوَقَّفْ!» وَلَكِنْ لا يَلْتَفِتُ أحَدٌ.

9 T ake the plunder of silver. Take the plunder of gold, for there is no end of the store, the glory of all goodly furniture.

انهَبُوا الفِضَّةَ! انهَبُوا الذَّهَبِ! لا نِهايَةَ لِلكُنُوزِ مِنْ كَثرَتِها، وَفِيها الكَثِيرُ مِنَ الأشياءِ النَّفِيسَةِ.

10 S he is empty, void, and waste. The heart melts, the knees knock together, their bodies and faces have grown pale.

فَراغٌ وَدَمارٌ وَخَرابٌ! ذابَتْ قُلُوبٌ وَارتَعَشَتْ أرجُلٌ مِنَ الخَوفِ. اهتّزَّتِ الأبدانُ وَشَحَبَتِ الوُجُوهُ جَميعاً. وَقَدِ ابيَضَّتْ وُجُوهُهُمْ مِنَ الخَوفِ.

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 cubs, and no one made them afraid?

أينَ مَسْكِنُ الأُسُودِ، وَعَرِينُ الأشبالِ؟ أينَ المَكانُ الَّذِي ذَهَبَ إلَيهِ الأسَدُ وَاللَّبُؤَةُ، حَيثُ لا يَخشَى جَرْوُ الأسَدِ أذَى؟

12 T he lion tore in pieces enough for his cubs, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his caves with the kill, and his dens with prey.

يَجِدُ الأسَدُ طَعاماً كَثِيراً لِجِرائِهِ، وَيَذبَحُ لِلَبُؤاتِهِ. يَملأُ مَغارَتَهُ بِالفَرائِسِ، وَكُهُوفَهُ بِالَّلَحمِ المُمَزَّقِ.

13 “ Behold, I am against you,” says Yahweh of Armies, “and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword will devour your young lions; and I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers will no longer be heard.”

يَقُولُ اللهُ القَدِيرُ: «أنا ضِدُّكِ. سَأُحرِقُ مركباتِكِ حَتَّى لا يَبقَى سِوَى الدُّخانِ، وَسَيُقتَلُ أشبالُكِ فِي المَعرَكَةِ. سَأُخرِجُ فَرائِسَكِ مِنَ الأرْضِ، وَصَوتُ رُسُلِكِ لَنْ يُسمَعَ ثانيةً.»