Nahum 1

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

The burden 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.

Jehovah is a jealous God and avenges. Jehovah avenges and is full of wrath. Jehovah takes vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserves wrath for 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.

Jehovah is slow to anger, and great in power, and will by no means clear the guilty. Jehovah has his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, 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 rebukes the sea, and makes it dry, and dries up all the rivers. Bashan languishes, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languishes.

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 quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is up heaved at his presence. Yea, the world, and all who 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 his indignation? And who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken apart 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.

Jehovah is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and he knows those who take refuge 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 over running flood he will make a full end of her place, and will pursue his enemies into 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 do ye devise against Jehovah? He will make a full end. Affliction shall not rise up the second time.

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 entangled like thorns, and drunken as with their drink, they are consumed utterly as dry stubble.

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

He has gone forth out of thee, who devises evil against Jehovah, who counsels wickedness.

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 says Jehovah: Though they be in full strength, and likewise many, even so they shall be cut down. And he shall pass away. Though 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.

And now I will break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds apart.

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 Jehovah has given commandment concerning thee, that no more of thy name be sown. Out of the house of thy gods I will cut off the graven image and the molten image. I will make thy grave, for thou are 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 the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace! Keep thy feasts, O Judah. Perform thy vows, for the wicked one shall no more pass through thee. He is utterly cut off.