Naum 1

1 The burden of Nineve: the book of the vision of Naum the Elkesite.

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

2 God is jealous, and the Lord avenges; the Lord avenges with wrath; the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries, and he cuts off his enemies.

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 long-suffering, and his power is great, and the Lord will not hold any guiltless: his way is in destruction and in the whirlwind, 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 threatens the sea, and dries it up, and exhausts all the rivers: the land of Basan, and Carmel are brought low, and the flourishing [trees] of Libanus have come to nought.

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 quake at him, and the hills are shaken, and the earth recoils at his presence, [even] the world, and all that dwell 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 shall stand before his anger? and who shall withstand in the anger of his wrath? his wrath brings to nought kingdoms, and the rocks are burst asunder 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 to them that wait on him in the day of affliction; and he knows them that reverence him.

The Lord is good, a strong-hold on the day of distress; and he knoweth those that trust in him.

8 But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end: darkness shall pursue those that rise up against [him] and his enemies.

But with an overflowing flood will he utterly destroy the place of [Nineveh], and his enemies will he pursue with darkness.

9 What do ye devise against the Lord? he will make a complete end: he will not take vengeance by affliction twice at the same time.

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

10 For [the enemy] shall be laid bare even to the foundation, and shall be devoured as twisted yew, and as stubble fully dry.

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

11 Out of thee shall proceed a device against the Lord, counselling evil things hostile [to him].

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

12 Thus saith the Lord who rules over many waters, Even thus shall they be sent away, and the report of thee shall not be heard any more.

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 will I break his rod from off thee, and will burst [thy] bonds.

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

14 And the Lord shall give a command concerning thee; there shall no more of thy name be scattered: I will utterly destroy the graven [images] out of the house of thy god, and the molten [images]: I will make thy grave; for [they are] swift.

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 Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that brings glad tidings, and publishes peace! O Juda, keep thy feasts, pay thy vows: for they shall no more pass through thee to [thy] decay.

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.