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!

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

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.

For 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.

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.

The 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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

It 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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

She 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.

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?

Where 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?

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.

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

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.”

“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.”