Nahum 3
1 O bloody citie, it is all full of lyes, and robberie: the pray departeth not:
Woe to the bloody city! Full of lies and plunder, without end is the spoil.
2 The noyse of a whippe, and the noyse of the mouing of the wheeles, and the beating of the horses, and the leaping of the charets.
Hear the crack of the whip, hear the rattle of wheels. Galloping horses, jolting chariots.
3 The horseman lifteth vp both the bright sword, and the glittering speare, and a multitude is slaine, and the dead bodyes are many: there is none ende of their corpses: they stumble vpon their corpses,
Horsemen charging, swords flashing, spears glittering, a multitude of slain, a heap of bodies, no end to the corpses over which people stumble!
4 Because of the multitude of the fornications of the harlot that is beautifull, and is a mistresse of witchcraft, and selleth the people thorow her whoredome, and the nations thorowe her witchcrafts.
‘Because you acted like a whore, bewitching the nations, enticing the peoples,
5 Beholde, I come vpon thee, saith the Lord of hostes, and will discouer thy skirtes vpon thy face, and will shewe the nations thy filthines, and the kingdomes thy shame.
I am against you, Nineveh’ the Lord of hosts declares. ‘I will strip your clothes and show the nations your nakedness, and the kingdoms your shame.
6 And I will cast filth vpon thee, and make thee vile, and will set thee as a gasing stocke.
‘I will fling loathsome filth at you, and make you an object of contempt, a spectacle,
7 And it shall come to passe, that al they that looke vpon thee, shall flee from thee, and say, Nineueh is destroyed, who will haue pitie vpon her? where shall I seeke comforters for thee?
so that everyone who sees you will flee from you and say: “Nineveh is laid waste, who will mourn for her?”
8 Art thou better then No, which was ful of people? that lay in the riuers, and had the waters round about it? whose ditche was the sea, and her wall was from the sea?
‘Are you any better than Thebes, which stood on the banks of the Nile, with waters around as a rampart, whose wall was the sea of waters?
9 Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength, and there was none ende: Put and Lubim were her helpers.
Her strength was Ethiopia and Egypt. The Libyans were her helpers, and Put with its countless people.
10 Yet was she caried awaye, and went into captiuitie: her young children also were dashed in pieces at the head of all the streetes: and they cast lottes for her noble men, and al her myghtie men were bound in chaines.
Yet she was exiled and made captive. On all corners of the streets her infants were dashed to pieces. Lots were cast for her nobles, all her great ones were bound in chains.
11 Also thou shalt bee drunken: thou shalt hide thy selfe, and shalt seeke helpe because of the enemie.
‘You too, Nineveh, will be drunk with fear; you too will seek a place of escape from the foe.
12 All thy strong cities shall be like figtrees with the first ripe figs: for if they be shaken, they fall into the mouth of the eater.
All your fortresses are fig trees with the first ripe figs; if shaken, they fall into the mouth of the eater!
13 Beholde, thy people within thee are women: the gates of thy land shalbe opened vnto thine enemies, and ye fire shall deuoure thy barres.
Your troops are weak as women before your foes; the gates of your land are wide open; your defenses burned down.
14 Drawe thee waters for the siege: fortifie thy strong holdes: go into the clay, and temper the morter: make strong bricke.
‘Draw water for the siege, strengthen your forts. Go to the clay pits and tread the clay; take up the brick moulds.
15 There shall ye fire deuoure thee: the sword shall cut thee off: it shall eate thee vp like the locustes, though thou bee multiplied like the locustes, and multiplyed like the grashopper.
There the fire will consume you, the sword will cut you down. Multiply like the locust or a swarm of grasshoppers.
16 Thou hast multiplied thy marchantes aboue the starres of heauen: the locust spoileth and flyeth away.
Increase the numbers of your merchants until they are more than the stars of heaven,
17 Thy princes are as the grashoppers, and thy captaines as the great grashoppers which remaine in the hedges in the colde day: but when the sunne ariseth, they flee away and their place is not knowen where they are.
until your watchmen are locusts, and your scribes like grasshoppers, which swarm in the hedges on a cold day; but when the sun rises they fly away, no one knows where.
18 Thy shepheardes doe sleepe, O King of Asshur: thy strong men lie downe: thy people is scattered vpon the mountaines, and no man gathereth them.
‘King of Assyria: your princes slumber, your nobles sleep! Your people are scattered on the mountains with no one to gather them!
19 There is no healing of thy wounde: thy plague is grieuous: all that heare the brute of thee, shall clap the handes ouer thee: for vpon whome hath not thy malice passed continually?
There is no healing for your hurt, your wound is incurable. All who hear of your fate clap their hands in joy, for who has escaped your limitless cruelty?’
