Nahum 2
1 He stiede up, that schal scatere bifore thee, that schal kepe bisechyng; biholde thou the weie, coumforte leendis, strengthe thou vertu greetli.
He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face: keep the munition, watch the way, make [thy] loins strong, fortify [thy] power mightily.
2 For as the Lord yeldide the pride of Jacob, so the pride of Israel; for distrieris scateriden hem, and distrieden the generaciouns of hem.
For the LORD hath 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 scheld of stronge men of hym ben firi, men of the oost ben in rede clothis; raynes of fire of chare, in the dai of his makyng redi; and the leederis therof ben asleep.
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 weies thei ben troblid togidere, cartis of foure horsis ben hurtlid togidere in stretis; the siyte of hem as laumpis, as leitis rennynge aboute.
The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings.
5 He schal bithenke of his stronge men, thei schulen falle in her weies; and swiftli thei schulen stie on the wallis therof, and schadewyng place schal be maad redi.
He shall recount his worthies: they shall stumble in their walk; they shall make haste to the wall thereof, and the defence shall be prepared.
6 Yatis of floodis ben openyd, and the temple is brokun doun to erthe.
The gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be dissolved.
7 And a knyyt is led awei caitif, and the handmaidis therof schulen be dryuun sorewynge as culueris, grutchynge in her hertis.
And Huzzab shall be led away captive, she shall be brought up, and her maids shall lead [her] as with the voice of doves, tabering upon their breasts.
8 And Nynyue, as a cisterne of watris the watris therof; forsothe thei fledden; stonde ye, stonde ye, and there is not that schal turne ayen.
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 Rauysche ye siluer, rauysche ye gold; and there is noon ende of richessis, of alle desirable vessels.
Take ye 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 It is distried, and kit, and to-rent, and herte failynge, and vnknyttinge of smale knees, and failynge in alle reynes; and the face of alle ben as blacnesse of a pot.
She is empty, and void, and waste: and the heart melteth, and the knees smite together, and much pain [is] in all loins, and the faces of them all gather blackness.
11 Where is the dwellyng of liouns, and lesewis of whelpis of liouns? To whiche citee the lioun yede, that the whelp of the lioun schulde entre thidur, and there is not that schal make aferd.
Where [is] the dwelling of the lions, and the feedingplace of the young lions, where the lion, [even] the old lion, walked, [and] the lion’s whelp, and none made [them] afraid?
12 The lioun took ynow to hise whelpis, and slowy to his lionessis; and fillide her dennes with prei, and his couche with raueyn.
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 ravin.
13 Lo! Y to thee, seith the Lord God of oostis; and Y schal brenne thi cartis of foure horsis til to the hiyeste, and swerd schal ete thi smale liouns; and Y schal distrie thi prei fro the lond, and the vois of thi messangeris schulen no more be herd.
Behold, I [am] against thee, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword shall devour thy young lions: and I will cut off thy prey from the earth, and the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard.
