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.
Come up hath a scatterer to thy face, Keep the bulwark, watch the way, Strengthen the loins, strengthen 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 turned back hath Jehovah to the excellency of Jacob, As [to] the excellency of Israel, For emptied them out have emptiers, And their branches they have marred.
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 ones is become red, Men of might [are in] scarlet, With fiery torches [is] the chariot in a day of his preparation, And the firs have been caused to tremble.
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.
In out-places shine do the chariots, They go to and fro in broad places, Their appearances [are] like torches, As lightnings they run.
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 doth remember his honourable ones, They stumble in their goings, They hasten [to] its wall, and prepared is the covering.
6 Yatis of floodis ben openyd, and the temple is brokun doun to erthe.
Gates of the rivers have been opened, And the palace is dissolved.
7 And a knyyt is led awei caitif, and the handmaidis therof schulen be dryuun sorewynge as culueris, grutchynge in her hertis.
And it is established — she hath removed, She hath been brought up, And her handmaids are leading as the voice of doves, Tabering on their hearts.
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.
And Nineveh [is] as a pool of waters, From of old it [is] — and they are fleeing! 'Stand ye, stand;' and none is turning!
9 Rauysche ye siluer, rauysche ye gold; and there is noon ende of richessis, of alle desirable vessels.
Seize ye silver, seize ye gold, And there is no end to the prepared things, [To] the abundance of all desirable vessels.
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, yea, emptiness and waste, And the heart hath melted, And the knees have smitten together, And great pain [is] in all loins, And the faces of all of them have gathered paleness.
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 habitation of lionesses? And a feeding-place it [is] for young lions Where walked hath a lion, an old lion, A lion's whelp, and there is none troubling.
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 is tearing parts [for] his whelps, And is strangling for his lionesses, And he doth fill [with] prey his holes, And his habitations [with] rapine.
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.
Lo, I [am] against thee, An affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts, And I have burned in smoke its chariot, And thy young lions consume doth a sword, And I have cut off from the land thy prey, And not heard any more is the voice of thy messengers!
