Nahum 1
1 The burden of Ninive. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elcesite.
A message about Nineveh, a vision which came to Nahum from Elkosh.
2 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.
The Lord tolerates no rivals. The Lord is vengeful and fierce in wrath. The Lord does not fail to punish his foes; the Lord is vengeful against his enemies.
3 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.
The Lord is slow to anger, great in power. The guilty will not escape his punishment. Storm tempest is his path and cloud is the dust of his feet.
4 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.
He rebukes the sea and dries it up and makes all the streams run dry. Bashan and Carmel are languishing and the bloom of Lebanon is withered.
5 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.
The mountains tremble before him and the hills dissolve. The earth heaves before him, the world and all who live in it.
6 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.
Who can stand before his wrath? Who can withstand the heat of his anger? His fierce fury pours forth like fire, he shatters rocks.
7 The Lord is good and giveth strength in the day of trouble: and knoweth them that hope in him.
The Lord is good to those who hope in him, a place of refuge in the day of trouble.
8 But with a flood that passeth by, he will make an utter end of the place thereof: and darkness shall pursue his enemies.
With rushing flood an end he makes of those who rise against him, he drives his enemies into darkness.
9 What do ye devise against the Lord? he will make an utter end: there shall not rise a double affliction.
Why do you plot against the Lord? He will end you. He only takes vengeance once.
10 For as thorns embrace one another: so while they are feasting and drinking together, they shall be consumed as stubble that is fully dry.
Thorns, tangled and drenched, they are consumed like dry stubble.
11 Out of thee shall come forth one that imagineth evil against the Lord, contriving treachery in his mind.
Nineveh! From you has arisen one who plots evil against the Lord, a counsellor of wickedness.
12 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.
The Lord says: ‘Though they are many and strong, they will pass away and be gone. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more,
13 And now I will break in pieces his rod with which he struck thy back, and I will burst thy bonds asunder.
and now I will break his yoke from your necks and snap your chains.’
14 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.
The Lord has given this command concerning you, Nineveh: ‘Your name will no longer be remembered. I will destroy every idol and image in the house of your God. I will destroy even your tomb, for you are worthless.’
15 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.
Look! On the mountains a messenger bringing good news, announcing peace! ‘Celebrate the feasts, Judah, fulfil your vows. Never again will these enemies invade your land, they are destroyed!’
