Nahum 1

1 The word about Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.

The burden of Ninive. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elcesite.

2 The Lord is a God who takes care of his honour and gives punishment for wrong; the Lord gives punishment and is angry; the Lord sends punishment on those who are against him, being angry with his haters.

The Lord is a jealous God, and a revenger: the Lord is a revenger, and hath wrath: the Lord taketh vengeance on his adversaries, and he is angry with his enemies.

3 The Lord is slow to get angry and great in power, and will not let the sinner go without punishment: the way of the Lord is in the wind and the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

The Lord is patient, and great in power, and will not cleanse and acquit the guilty. The Lord’s ways are in a tempest, and a whirlwind, and clouds are the dust of his feet.

4 He says sharp words to the sea and makes it dry, drying up all the rivers: Bashan is feeble, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon is without strength.

He rebuketh the sea, and drieth it up: and bringeth all the rivers to be a desert. Basan languisheth and Carmel: and the dower of Libanus fadeth away.

5 The mountains are shaking because of him, and the hills flowing away; the earth is falling to bits before him, the world and all who are in it.

The mountains tremble at him, and the hills are made desolate: and the earth hath quaked at his presence, and the world, and all that dwell therein.

6 Who may keep his place before his wrath? and who may undergo the heat of his passion? his wrath is let loose like fire and the rocks are broken open by him.

Who can stand before the face of his indignation? and who shall resist in the fierceness of his anger? his indignation is poured out like fire: and the rocks are melted by him.

7 The Lord is good, a strong place in the day of trouble; and he has knowledge of those who take him for their safe cover.

The Lord is good and giveth strength in the day of trouble: and knoweth them that hope in him.

8 But like water overflowing he will take them away; he will put an end to those who come up against him, driving his haters into the dark.

But with a flood that passeth by, he will make an utter end of the place thereof: and darkness shall pursue his enemies.

9 What are you designing against the Lord? he will put an end to it: his haters will not come up again a second time.

What do ye devise against the Lord? he will make an utter end: there shall not rise a double affliction.

10 For though they are like twisted thorns, and are overcome as with drink, they will come to destruction like stems of grass fully dry.

For as thorns embrace one another: so while they are feasting and drinking together, they shall be consumed as stubble that is fully dry.

11 One has gone out from you who is designing evil against the Lord, whose purposes are of no value.

Out of thee shall come forth one that imagineth evil against the Lord, contriving treachery in his mind.

12 This is what the Lord has said: The days of my cause against you are ended; they are cut off and past. Though I have sent trouble on you, you will no longer be troubled.

Thus saith the Lord: Though they were perfect: and many of them so, yet thus shall they be cut off, and he shall pass: I have afflicted thee, and I will afflict thee no more.

13 And now I will let his yoke be broken off you, and your chains be parted.

And now I will break in pieces his rod with which he struck thy back, and I will burst thy bonds asunder.

14 The Lord has given an order about you, that no more of your name are to be planted: from the house of your gods I will have the pictured and metal images cut off; I will make your last resting-place a place of shame; for you are completely evil.

And the Lord will give a commandment concerning thee, that no more of thy name shall be sown: I will destroy the graven and molten thing out of the house of thy God, I will make it thy grave, for thou art disgraced.

15 See on the mountains the feet of him who comes with good news, giving word of peace! Keep your feasts, O Judah, give effect to your oaths: for the good-for-nothing man will never again go through you; he is completely cut off.

Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, and that preacheth peace: O Juda, keep thy festivals, and pay thy vows: for Belial shall no more pass through thee again, he is utterly cut off.