Nahumu 2
1 Atĩrĩrĩ, wee Nineve, mũgũtharĩkĩri nĩokĩte gũgũtharĩkĩra. Rangĩra kĩĩgitĩro kĩa hinya, na ũgitĩre njĩra; wĩhotore, na wĩĩkĩre hinya mũno!
Nineveh! The destroyer has come up against you; mount guard upon the rampart; watch the road; brace yourselves; strengthen your might to the utmost.
2 Jehova nĩagacookeria Jakubu riiri wake, ũhaane ta riiri wa Isiraeli, o na aakorwo aanangi nĩmamonũhĩte, na makaananga mĩthabibũ yao.
For the Lord is restoring the majesty of Jacob and of Israel, though the devastators have plundered them and destroyed their vines.
3 Ngo cia thigari ciake nĩ cia rangi mũtune, njamba cia ita ciĩhumbĩte nguo ndune ta gakarakũ. Igera cia ngaari cia ita irahenia mũthenya ũrĩa ciahaarĩrio; matimũ mahangĩrĩtwo mĩtĩ ya mĩkarakaba namo makahenũka maahiũrio.
The shields of his warriors are dyed red, his soldiers are clothed in scarlet, his chariots gleam like fire on the day he prepares for battle spears are shaken.
4 Ngaari cia ita iraguthũka ituĩkanĩirie njĩra cia itũũra, irahanyũka na mbere, ningĩ na thuutha, ituĩkanĩirie ihaaro-inĩ cia itũũra. Ihaana ta imũrĩ irakana; irahiũka ta rũheni.
Chariots rush across the fields, storm through the squares; they flame like torches, they dart like lightening.
5 Acookanĩrĩirie mbũtũ cia thigari iria njamba, no ciũkaga ikĩhĩngagwo. Iguthũkaga nginya rũthingo-inĩ rwa itũũra inene; ituĩkaga ta ngo ya kũrĩgitĩra.
A leader rallies his nobles, they hurl themselves forward. They speed on toward the wall; the storming-shield is set up.
6 Hingĩrĩrio cia rũũĩ nĩ hingũre, naguo mũciĩ wa ũthamaki ũkamomoka.
The water-gates are thrown open, and the palace dissolves in ruins.
7 Nĩ gwathanĩtwo itũũra rĩu inene rĩtahwo na rĩthaamio. Ngombo ciarĩo cia airĩtu iragirĩka na mĩgambo ta ya ndutura, na ikehũũra ithũri.
The queen is stripped, she is carried off. Her maids moan like doves, beating upon their breasts.
8 Nineve kũhaana ta ndia, na maaĩ makuo nĩkũhwa marahwa. Kũraanĩrĩrwo, gũkeerwo atĩrĩ, “Ta rũgamai! Ta rũgamai!” No gũtirĩ mũndũ ũngĩĩhũgũra.
Like a pool of water is Nineveh, her waters fast ebbing away. ‘Stand firm! Stand firm!’ someone cries, but no one turns back.
9 Tahai betha! Tahai thahabu! Ũtonga ũrĩa ũrĩ igĩĩna-inĩ ciao ciothe ndũngĩthira!
‘Loot the silver, loot the gold, for there is no end to the treasure, the wealth and precious things.’
10 Nineve nĩgũtahe, na indo igatunyanwo gũgatigwo ũtheri! Ngoro nĩikuĩte, na maru makaregera, na mĩĩrĩ ĩkainaina, o na andũ othe magathita ithiithi.
Nineveh is empty, desolate, devastated, with faint heart and knocking knee. There is weakness in every limb, and faces grow pale.
11 Atĩrĩrĩ, imamo cia mĩrũũthi irĩ ha, kũndũ kũrĩa yarereire ciana ciayo, kũrĩa mĩrũũthi ya njamba na ya nga yathiiaga na ciana ciayo ĩtegwĩtigĩra?
Where now is the den of lions? Where now the lair of their young? Where the lion used to withdraw, with his cubs, with none to disturb them?
12 Mũrũũthi wa njamba nĩwatambuurĩire ciana ciaguo nyama cia gũciigana, na ũgĩitĩra mũgoma waguo gĩa kũrĩa, ũkĩiyũria imamo ciaguo na kĩrĩa woragĩte, na ũkĩiyũria ngurunga ciaguo na kĩrĩa waguĩmĩte.
The lion tore enough for his cubs, and strangled prey for his lionesses. He filled his caves with the kill, he filled his lairs with fresh meat.
13 Jehova Mwene-Hinya-Wothe ekuuga atĩrĩ, “Niĩ nĩngũũkĩrĩire. Nĩngacina ngaari ciaku cia ita na mwaki, naruo rũhiũ rwa njora nĩrũkaniina mĩrũũthi yaku ĩrĩa mĩĩthĩ. Ndigagũtigĩria kĩndũ gĩa kũguĩma gũkũ thĩ. Nayo mĩgambo ya andũ arĩa ũtũmaga ndĩgaacooka kũiguuo rĩngĩ.”
‘But see, I am against you,’ the Lord of hosts declares, ‘I will burn your chariots in smoke and fire. The sword will devour your young lions. You will never again prey on the land. No more will your messengers be heard.’
