Nahum 3

1 Woe to the bloody city! it [is] all full of lies [and] robberies; the prey departeth not;

Woe to the bloody city. It is all full of lies and robbery. The prey doesn't depart.

2 The noise of a whip, and the noise of the rattling of the wheels, and of the prancing horses, and of the bounding chariots.

The noise of the whip, the noise of the rattling of wheels, prancing horses, and bounding chariots,

3 The horseman lifteth up both the bright sword, and the glittering spear: and [there is] a multitude of slain, and a great number of carcasses; and [there is] no end of [their] corpses; they stumble upon their corpses:

the horseman mounting, and the flashing sword, the glittering spear, and a multitude of slain, and a great heap of corpses, and there is no end of the bodies. They stumble on their bodies,

4 Because of the multitude of the lewd deeds of the well-favored harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her lewd deeds, and families through her witchcrafts.

because of the multitude of the prostitution of the alluring prostitute, the mistress of witchcraft, who sells nations through her prostitution, and families through her witchcraft.

5 Behold, I [am] against thee, saith the LORD of hosts; and I will remove thy skirts upon thy face, and I will show the nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame.

"Look, I am against you," says YHWH of hosts, "and I will lift your skirts over your face. I will show the nations your nakedness, and the kingdoms your shame.

6 And I will cast abominable filth upon thee, and make thee vile, and will set thee as a gazing-stock.

I will throw abominable filth on you, and make you vile, and will set you a spectacle.

7 And it shall come to pass, [that] all they that look upon thee shall flee from thee, and say, Nineveh is laid waste: who will bemoan her; whence shall I seek comforters for thee?

It will happen that all those who look at you will flee from you, and say, 'Nineveh is laid waste. Who will mourn for her?' Where will I seek comforters for you?"

8 Art thou better than populous No, that was situated among the rivers, [that had] the waters around it, whose rampart [was] the sea, [and] her wall [was] from the sea?

Are you better than No-Amon, who was situated among the rivers, who had the waters around her; whose rampart was the sea, and her wall was of the sea?

9 Cush and Egypt [were] her strength, and [it was] infinite; Put and Lubim were thy helpers.

Cush and Egypt were her boundless strength. Put and Libya were her helpers.

10 Yet [was] she carried away, she went into captivity: her young children also were dashed in pieces at the head of all the streets: and they cast lots for her honorable men, and all her great men were bound in chains.

Yet was she carried away. She went into captivity. Her young children also were dashed in pieces at the head of all the streets, and they cast lots for her honorable men, and all her great men were bound in chains.

11 Thou also shalt be drunken: thou shalt be hid, thou also shalt seek strength because of the enemy.

You also will be drunk. You will be hidden. You also will seek a stronghold because of the enemy.

12 All thy strong holds [shall be like] fig-trees with the first ripe figs: if they be shaken, they shall even fall into the mouth of the eater.

All your fortresses will be like fig trees with the first-ripe figs: if they are shaken, they fall into the mouth of the eater.

13 Behold, thy people in the midst of thee [are] women: the gates of thy land shall be set wide open to thy enemies: the fire shall devour thy bars.

Look, your troops in your midst are women. The gates of your land are set wide open to your enemies. The fire has devoured your bars.

14 Draw thee waters for the siege, fortify thy strong holds: go into clay, and tread the mortar, make strong the brick-kiln.

Draw water for the siege. Strengthen your fortresses. Go into the clay, and tread the mortar. Make the brick kiln strong.

15 There shall the fire devour thee; the sword shall cut thee off, it shall eat thee up like the canker-worm: make thyself many as the canker-worm, make thyself many as the locusts.

There the fire will devour you. The sword will cut you off. It will devour you like the grasshopper. Multiply like grasshoppers. Multiply like the locust.

16 Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the stars of heaven: the canker-worm spoileth, and flieth away.

You have increased your merchants more than the stars of the skies. The grasshopper strips, and flees away.

17 Thy crowned [are] as the locusts, and thy captains as the great grasshoppers, which settle in the hedges in the cold day, [but] when the sun ariseth they flee away, and their place is not known where they [are].

Your guards are like the locusts, and your officials like the swarms of locusts, which settle on the walls on a cold day, but when the sun appears, they flee away, and their place is not known where they are.

18 Thy shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria: thy nobles shall dwell [in the dust]: thy people are scattered upon the mountains, and no man gathereth [them].

Your shepherds slumber, king of Assyria. Your nobles lie down. Your people are scattered on the mountains, and there is no one to gather them.

19 [There is] no healing of thy bruise; thy wound is grievous: all that hear the fame of thee shall clap the hands over thee: for upon whom hath not thy wickedness passed continually?

There is no healing your wound, for your injury is fatal. All who hear the report of you clap their hands over you; for who hasn't felt your endless cruelty?