Nahum 2
1 The destroyer is come up against thee to enclose [thee] with works of siege: look out on the way, make thy loins strong, strengthen [thyself] greatly with power.
He that breaketh in pieces hath come up over thy face, Keep the keeps, —watch the way, brace the loins, make vigour very firm.
2 For the Lord bringeth back again the excellency of Jacob, as also the excellency of Israel; for the plunderers have plundered them, and have wasted branches of their vines.
For Yahweh hath restored the excellency of Jacob, like the excellency of Israel, —for the plunderers have plundered them, and, their vine branches, have they marred.
3 The shields of his mighty men are made red, the valiant men are [clothed] in scarlet: with the fire of the steel the chariots [glitter] on the day when he prepareth himself [for battle], and the spears are shaken.
The shield of his heroes, is made red, the men of war, are clad in crimson, on fire, are the chariot-steels, on the day he maketh ready, —and, the lances, are put in motion.
4 In the streets the chariots rush madly along, they rattle through the public places: their appearance is like torches, they run along like the lightnings.
In the streets, madly go the chariots, they rush along in the broadways, —their appearance, is like torches, as lightnings, hither and thither do they run.
5 He will summon his valiant men, they shall stumble in their walk: they hasten to her walls, and the covering for defence is prepared.
Let him call to mind his nobles, they shall stumble as they go—let them hasten to her wall, yet the storming cover, is prepared.
6 The gates of the rivers are opened, and the palace is dissolved.
The gates of the rivers, have been opened, —and, the palace, doth quake.
7 And the queen is carried away into exile stripped of her attire, and her maids moan as with the voice of doves, striking their hand upon their breast.
And, Huzzab, hath been taken captive—hath been led up, —and, her handmaids, are making a moan like the sound of doves, as they taber upon their heart.
8 And Nineveh was like a pool of water from the days that she existed: yet now they flee. “Stand, stand,” [shall they cry, ] but none shall look back.
Yet, as for Nineveh, like a reservoir of waters, are her waters, —but, those men, are in flight! Stand! stand! but no one is turning.
9 Plunder silver, plunder gold; for without end are the treasures, there is an abundance of all precious vessels.
Plunder silver, plunder gold, —and there is no end to the costly furnishing, rich with every article of delight.
10 She is void, and emptied out, and wasted; and the heart melteth, and the knees totter, and trembling is in all loins, and the faces of them all are covered with blackness.
Emptiness, yea turned to emptiness, aye deserted [is she]! with, heart, unnerved, and, a tottering, of knees, and, anguish, in all loins, and, the faces of them all, have withdrawn their colour.
11 Where is [now] the dwelling of the lions, and what was the feeding-place of the young lions, where the lion, the lioness, and the lion's whelp walked, and none made them afraid?
Where is the lair of the lions? Yea the very feeding-place of the young lions, —where walked the lion, the lioness, the lion’s whelp, with none to make them afraid?
12 The lion tore in pieces [prey] enough for his whelps, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled with prey his holes, and his dens with what he had torn.
The lion, used to tear in pieces enough for his whelps, and to strangle for his lionesses, —and then fill with prey his holes, and his lairs with what he had torn.
13 Behold, I will be against thee, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will burn into smoke thy chariots, and thy young lions shall the sword devour: and I will cut off from the earth thy preying, and no more shall be heard the voice of thy messengers.
Behold me! against thee, Declareth Yahweh of hosts, Therefore will I burn up in smoke her chariots, and, thy young lions, shall be devoured by the sword, —so will I cut off, out of the earth, thy prey, nor shall be heard any more, the voice of thine envoy.
