Nahum 2
1 Un destructeur s'avance contre toi; garde la forteresse, surveille le chemin, affermis tes reins, ramasse toute ta force!
It is all over with him, he has been removed, [one] who has been delivered from affliction has come up panting into your presence, watch the way, strengthen [your] loins, be very valiant in [your] strength.
2 Car Yahweh rétablit la gloire de Jacob, ainsi que la gloire d'Israël, parce que des pillards les ont pillés, et ont détruit leurs ceps.
For the Lord has turned aside the pride of Jacob, as the pride of Israel: for they have utterly rejected them, and have destroyed their branches.
3 Le bouclier de ses guerriers est teint en rouge, ses hommes d'armes sont vêtus d'écarlate; dans le feu des aciers ses chars apparaissent, au jour où il prépare la bataille, et les lances s'agitent.
[They have destroyed] the arms of their power from among men, their mighty men sporting with fire: the reins of their chariots [shall be destroyed] in the day of his preparation, and the horsemen shall be thrown into confusion
4 Dans les rues les chars s'élancent avec furie; ils se précipitent sur les places. Leur aspect est celui des flammes, des éclairs qui courent.
in the ways, and the chariots shall clash together, and shall be entangled in each other in the broad ways: their appearance is as lamps of fire, and as gleaming lightnings.
5 Il se souvient de ses nobles; eux trébuchent dans leur marche. Ils se précipitent vers les murs; on se prépare à la défense.
And their mighty men shall bethink themselves and flee by day; and they shall be weak as they go; and they shall hasten to her walls, and shall prepare their defences.
6 Les portes des fleuves s'ouvrent, et le palais s'effondre.
The gates of the cities have been opened, and the palaces have fallen into ruin,
7 C'en est fait, elle est mise à nu, elle est emmenée, et ses servantes poussent des gémissements, pareils aux plaintes des colombes; elles se frappent la poitrine.
and the foundation has been exposed; and she has gone up, and her maidservants were led [away] as doves moaning in their hearts.
8 Ninive est comme un bassin d'eau depuis son origine... Ils s'enfuient!... Arrêtez! Arrêtez!... Pas un ne se retourne!
And [as for] Nineve, her waters [shall be] as a pool of water: and they fled, and staid not, and there was none to look back.
9 Pillez l'argent, pillez l'or! Car il n'y a pas de fin à ses richesses, à l'amas de tous ses objets précieux.
They plundered the silver, they plundered the gold, and there was no end of their adorning; they were loaded [with it] upon all their pleasant vessels.
10 Vidée, pillée, mise à sec! Les cœurs défaillent, les genoux tremblent; tous les reins sont dans l'angoisse, tous les visages sont livides.
[There is] thrusting forth, and shaking, and tumult, and heart-breaking, and loosing of knees, and pangs on all loins; and the faces of all [are] as the blackening of a pot.
11 Où est-il, le repaire des lions, qui était un lieu de pâture pour les jeunes lions; où se retiraient le lion, la lionne et le lionceau, sans que personne les effrayât?
Where is the dwelling-place of the lions, and the pasture that belonged to the whelps? where did the lion go, that the lion's whelp should enter in there, and there was none to scare [him] away?
12 Le lion ravissait ce qu'il fallait à ses petits, il étranglait pour ses lionnes, il remplissait de proie ses cavernes, et ses antres de dépouilles.
The lion seized enough prey for his whelps, and strangled for his [young] lions, and filled his lair with prey, and his dwelling-place with spoil.
13 Me voici contre toi! — oracle de Yahweh des armées; je vais réduire tes chars en fumée; l'épée dévorera tes jeunes lions; j'arracherai du pays ta proie, et l'on n'entendra plus la voix de tes messagers.
Behold, I am against you, says the Lord Almighty, and I will burn up your multitude in the smoke, and the sword shall devour your lions; and I will utterly destroy your prey from off the land, and your deeds shall no more at all be heard of.
