نَاحُوم 2

١ 1 قَدِ ٱرْتَفَعَتِ ٱلْمِقْمَعَةُ عَلَى وَجْهِكِ. ٱحْرُسِ ٱلْحِصْنَ. رَاقِبِ ٱلطَّرِيقَ. شَدِّدِ ٱلْحَقْوَيْنِ. مَكِّنِ ٱلْقُوَّةَ جِدًّا.

The one who scatters has come to attack you! Guard the fortresses! Watch the roads! Get yourselves ready! Call every soldier out!

٢ 2 فَإِنَّ ٱلرَّبَّ يَرُدُّ عَظَمَةَ يَعْقُوبَ كَعَظَمَةِ إِسْرَائِيلَ، لِأَنَّ ٱلسَّالِبِينَ قَدْ سَلَبُوهُمْ وَأَتْلَفُوا قُضْبَانَ كُرُومِهِمْ.

(For the Lord will restore the splendor of the people of Jacob as he will restore the splendor of Israel, for invaders have plundered them, and destroyed their land.)

٣ 3 تُرْسُ أَبْطَالِهِ مُحَمَّرٌ. رِجَالُ ٱلْجَيْشِ قِرْمِزِيُّونَ. ٱلْمَرْكَبَاتُ بِنَارِ ٱلْفُولَاذِ فِي يَوْمِ إِعْدَادِهِ. وَٱلسَّرْوُ يَهْتَزُّ.

The shields of his chief soldiers are red; the warriors wear scarlet. His chariots flash like fire in the sunlight as he prepares for battle. Spears with their wooden shafts are held up and shaken.

٤ 4 تَهِيجُ ٱلْمَرْكَبَاتُ فِي ٱلْأَزِقَّةِ. تَتَرَاكَضُ فِي ٱلسَّاحَاتِ. مَنْظَرُهَا كَمَصَابِيحَ. تَجْرِي كَٱلْبُرُوقِ.

Chariots race madly through the streets, rushing back and forth across the town squares. Bright as torches, they dash like lightning flashes.

٥ 5 يَذْكُرُ عُظَمَاءَهُ. يَتَعَثَّرُونَ فِي مَشْيِهِمْ. يُسْرِعُونَ إِلَى سُورِهَا، وَقَدْ أُقِيمَتِ ٱلْمِتْرَسَةُ.

He shouts orders to his officers. They stumble as they rush to attack the wall. The battering ram is set up.

٦ 6 أَبْوَابُ ٱلْأَنْهَارِ ٱنْفَتَحَتْ، وَٱلْقَصْرُ قَدْ ذَابَ.

The river gates are opened; the palace washes away.

٧ 7 وَهُصَّبُ قَدِ ٱنْكَشَفَتْ. أُطْلِعَتْ. وَجَوَارِيهَا تَئِنُّ كَصَوْتِ ٱلْحَمَامِ ضَارِبَاتٍ عَلَى صُدُورِهِنَّ.

“Queen” Nineveh is stripped, and led away into exile, with her servant girls mourning like doves, and beating their breasts.

٨ 8 وَنِينَوَى كَبِرْكَةِ مَاءٍ مُنْذُ كَانَتْ، وَلَكِنَّهُمُ ٱلْآنَ هَارِبُونَ. «قِفُوا، قِفُوا!» وَلَا مُلْتَفِتٌ.

Nineveh is a leaky pool—its population is like water running away. “Stop! Stop” people shout, but nobody turns back.

٩ 9 اِنْهَبُوا فِضَّةً. اِنْهَبُوا ذَهَبًا، فَلَا نِهَايَةَ لِلتُّحَفِ لِلْكَثْرَةِ مِنْ كُلِّ مَتَاعٍ شَهِيٍّ.

Loot the silver! Loot the gold! There's an endless supply—an abundance of everything you could ever want.

١٠ 10 فَرَاغٌ وَخَلَاءٌ وَخَرَابٌ، وَقَلْبٌ ذَائِبٌ وَٱرْتِخَاءُ رُكَبٍ وَوَجَعٌ فِي كُلِّ حَقْوٍ. وَأَوْجُهُ جَمِيعِهِمْ تَجْمَعُ حُمْرَةً.

Deserted, destroyed, devastated! Hearts faint, knees tremble, stomachs ache. Everyone's faces turn pale.

١١ 11 أَيْنَ مَأْوَى ٱلْأُسُودِ وَمَرْعَى أَشْبَالِ ٱلْأُسُودِ؟ حَيْثُ يَمْشِي ٱلْأَسَدُ وَٱللَّبُوَةُ وَشِبْلُ ٱلْأَسَدِ، وَلَيْسَ مَنْ يُخَوِّفُ.

Where now is the lion's den? Where is the place where the young lions used to feed? Where is the lion, and the lioness, and the lion cub that were afraid of no one?

١٢ 12 ٱلْأَسَدُ ٱلْمُفْتَرِسُ لِحَاجةِ جِرَائِهِ، وَٱلْخَانِقُ لِأَجْلِ لَبُوَاتِهِ حَتَّى مَلَأَ مَغَارَاتِهِ فَرَائِسَ وَمَآوِيَهُ مُفْتَرَسَاتٍ.

The lion tears apart meat for his cubs, and strangles prey for his lionesses. He fills his den with prey, his lair with carcasses.

١٣ 13 «هَا أَنَا عَلَيْكِ، يَقُولُ رَبُّ ٱلْجُنُودِ. فَأُحْرِقُ مَرْكَبَاتِكِ دُخَانًا، وَأَشْبَالُكِ يَأْكُلُهَا ٱلسَّيْفُ، وَأَقْطَعُ مِنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ فَرَائِسَكِ، وَلَا يُسْمَعُ أَيْضًا صَوْتُ رُسُلُكِ».

Watch out! For I am against you, declares the Lord Almighty. I will set fire to your chariots and they will go up in smoke. Your strong young men will be killed by the sword. I will stop you plundering other peoples. The demands of your ambassadors will no longer be heard.