Nahum 1

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

The doom of Nineveh, The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.

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.

A God watchful and avenging is the Lord; an avenger is the Lord, and full of fury; the Lord taketh vengeance on his adversaries, and keepeth in mind the deeds of 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 long-suffering, and great in power, but he will by no means clear the guilty: the Lord—in the whirlwind and in the storm is his way, and the 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 maketh it dry, and all the rivers he drieth up: Bashan then withereth, with Carmel, and the flowers of Lebanon wither.

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.

Mountains quake before him, and the hills melt away; and the earth is lifted up at his presence, yea, 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.

Before his indignation who can stand? and who can subsist before the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken down 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, a strong-hold on the day of distress; and he knoweth those that trust 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 an overflowing flood will he utterly destroy the place of [Nineveh], and his enemies will he pursue with darkness.

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 will you devise against the Lord? he is bringing about an utter destruction, the distress shall not rise up twice.

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 they, like thorns interwoven, and as men made drunken in their drinking bout, shall be entirely consumed as dry stubble.

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

There is gone forth out of thee he that devised evil against the Lord, the counsellor of infamous things.

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 hath said the Lord, Though they be complete, and ever so many, nevertheless shall they be cut down, and it shall be over [with them]: and if even I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more.

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

For now will I break his yoke from off thee, and thy bonds will I tear 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.

But against thee hath the Lord decreed, that no heir of thy name shall be any more: out of the house of thy gods will I cut off the graven and the molten image; I will prepare thy grave [there]; for thou art made vile.

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 are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, Celebrate thy feasts, O Judah, fulfill thy vows; for never more shall the wicked pass again through thee, he is utterly cut off.