Nahum 2
1 He that breaketh in pieces hath come up over thy face, Keep the keeps, —watch the way, brace the loins, make vigour very firm.
He that dashes in pieces is come up before your face: keep the fortification, watch the way, make your loins strong, fortify your power mightily.
2 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.
For the LORD has turned away the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel: for the emptiers have emptied them out, and marred their vine branches.
3 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.
The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men are in scarlet: the chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken.
4 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.
The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall jostle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightning.
5 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.
He shall recount his worthies: they shall stumble in their walk; they shall make haste to the wall thereof, and the defense shall be prepared.
6 The gates of the rivers, have been opened, —and, the palace, doth quake.
The gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be dissolved.
7 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.
And Huzzab shall be led away captive, she shall be brought up, and her maids shall lead her as with the voice of doves, beating on their breasts.
8 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.
But Nineveh is of old like a pool of water: yet they shall flee away. Stand, stand, shall they cry; but none shall look back.
9 Plunder silver, plunder gold, —and there is no end to the costly furnishing, rich with every article of delight.
Take you the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold: for there is none end of the store and glory out of all the pleasant furniture.
10 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.
She is empty, and void, and waste: and the heart melts, and the knees smite together, and much pain is in all loins, and the faces of them all gather blackness.
11 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?
Where is the dwelling of the lions, and the feeding place of the young lions, where the lion, even the old lion, walked, and the lion’s whelp, and none made them afraid?
12 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.
The lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his holes with prey, and his dens with shred.
13 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.
Behold, I am against you, says the LORD of hosts, and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions: and I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers shall no more be heard.
