Nahum 1

1 Burden of Nineveh. The Book of the Vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.

An oracle about Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.

2 A God zealous and avenging [is] Jehovah, An avenger [is] Jehovah, and possessing fury. An avenger [is] Jehovah on His adversaries, And He is watching for His enemies.

YHWH is a jealous God and avenges. YHWH avenges and is full of wrath. YHWH takes vengeance on his adversaries, and he maintains wrath against his enemies.

3 Jehovah [is] slow to anger, and great in power, And Jehovah doth not entirely acquit, In a hurricane and in a tempest [is] His way, And a cloud [is] the dust of His feet.

YHWH is slow to anger, and great in power, and will by no means leave the guilty unpunished. YHWH has his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

4 He is pushing against a sea, and drieth it up, Yea, all the floods He hath made dry, Languishing [are] Bashan and Carmel, Yea, the flower of Lebanon [is] languishing.

He rebukes the sea, and makes it dry, and dries up all the rivers. Bashan languishes, and Carmel; and the flower of Lebanon languishes.

5 Mountains have shaken because of Him, And the hills have been melted; And lifted up [is] the earth at His presence, And the world and all dwelling in it.

The mountains quake before him, and the hills melt away. The earth trembles at his presence, yes, the world, and all who dwell in it.

6 Before His indignation who doth stand? And who riseth up in the heat of His anger? His fury hath been poured out like fire, And the rocks have been broken by Him.

Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the fierceness of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken apart by him.

7 Good [is] Jehovah for a strong place in a day of distress. And He knoweth those trusting in Him.

YHWH is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he knows those who take refuge in him.

8 And with a flood passing over, An end He maketh of its place, And His enemies doth darkness pursue.

But with an overflowing flood, he will make a full end of her place, and will pursue his enemies into darkness.

9 What do we devise against Jehovah? An end He is making, arise not twice doth distress.

What do you plot against YHWH? He will make a full end. Affliction won't rise up the second time.

10 For while princes [are] perplexed, And with their drink are drunken, They have been consumed as stubble fully dried.

For entangled like thorns, and drunk as with their drink, they are consumed utterly like dry stubble.

11 From thee hath come forth a deviser of evil Against Jehovah — a worthless counsellor.

There is one gone forth out of you, who devises evil against YHWH, who counsels wickedness.

12 Thus said Jehovah: Though complete, and thus many, Yet thus they have been cut off, And he hath passed away. And I afflicted thee, I afflict thee no more.

Thus says YHWH: "Though they be in full strength, and likewise many, even so they will be cut down, and he shall pass away. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more.

13 And now I break his rod from off thee, And thy bands I do draw away.

Now will I break his yoke from off you, and will burst your bonds apart."

14 And commanded concerning thee hath Jehovah, 'No more of thy name doth spread abroad, From the house of thy gods I cut off graven and molten image, I appoint thy grave, for thou hast been vile.

YHWH has commanded concerning you: "No more descendants will bear your name. Out of the house of your gods, will I cut off the engraved image and the molten image. I will make your grave, for you are vile."

15 Lo, on the mountains the feet of one proclaiming tidings, sounding peace! Celebrate, O Judah, thy festivals, complete thy vows, For add no more to pass over into thee doth the worthless, He hath been completely cut off!

Look, on the mountains the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace. Keep your feasts, Judah. Perform your vows, for the wicked one will no more pass through you. He is utterly cut off.