Ναούμ 2
1 ἀνέβη ἐμφυσῶν εἰς πρόσωπόν σου ἐξαιρούμενος ἐκ θλίψεως σκόπευσον ὁδόν κράτησον ὀσφύος ἄνδρισαι τῇ ἰσχύι σφόδρα
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 διότι ἀπέστρεψεν κύριος τὴν ὕβριν Ιακωβ καθὼς ὕβριν τοῦ Ισραηλ διότι ἐκτινάσσοντες ἐξετίναξαν αὐτοὺς καὶ τὰ κλήματα αὐτῶν διέφθειραν
For the Lord is restoring the majesty of Jacob and of Israel, though the devastators have plundered them and destroyed their vines.
3 ὅπλα δυναστείας αὐτῶν ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἄνδρας δυνατοὺς ἐμπαίζοντας ἐν πυρί αἱ ἡνίαι τῶν ἁρμάτων αὐτῶν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἑτοιμασίας αὐτοῦ καὶ οἱ ἱππεῖς θορυβηθήσονται
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 ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς καὶ συγχυθήσονται τὰ ἅρματα καὶ συμπλακήσονται ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις ἡ ὅρασις αὐτῶν ὡς λαμπάδες πυρὸς καὶ ὡς ἀστραπαὶ διατρέχουσαι
Chariots rush across the fields, storm through the squares; they flame like torches, they dart like lightening.
5 καὶ μνησθήσονται οἱ μεγιστᾶνες αὐτῶν καὶ φεύξονται ἡμέρας καὶ ἀσθενήσουσιν ἐν τῇ πορείᾳ αὐτῶν καὶ σπεύσουσιν ἐπὶ τὰ τείχη καὶ ἑτοιμάσουσιν τὰς προφυλακὰς αὐτῶν
A leader rallies his nobles, they hurl themselves forward. They speed on toward the wall; the storming-shield is set up.
6 πύλαι τῶν ποταμῶν διηνοίχθησαν καὶ τὰ βασίλεια διέπεσεν
The water-gates are thrown open, and the palace dissolves in ruins.
7 καὶ ἡ ὑπόστασις ἀπεκαλύφθη καὶ αὕτη ἀνέβαινεν καὶ αἱ δοῦλαι αὐτῆς ἤγοντο καθὼς περιστεραὶ φθεγγόμεναι ἐν καρδίαις αὐτῶν
The queen is stripped, she is carried off. Her maids moan like doves, beating upon their breasts.
8 καὶ Νινευη ὡς κολυμβήθρα ὕδατος τὰ ὕδατα αὐτῆς καὶ αὐτοὶ φεύγοντες οὐκ ἔστησαν καὶ οὐκ ἦν ὁ ἐπιβλέπων
Like a pool of water is Nineveh, her waters fast ebbing away. ‘Stand firm! Stand firm!’ someone cries, but no one turns back.
9 διήρπαζον τὸ ἀργύριον διήρπαζον τὸ χρυσίον καὶ οὐκ ἦν πέρας τοῦ κόσμου αὐτῆς βεβάρυνται ὑπὲρ πάντα τὰ σκεύη τὰ ἐπιθυμητὰ αὐτῆς
‘Loot the silver, loot the gold, for there is no end to the treasure, the wealth and precious things.’
10 ἐκτιναγμὸς καὶ ἀνατιναγμὸς καὶ ἐκβρασμὸς καὶ καρδίας θραυσμὸς καὶ ὑπόλυσις γονάτων καὶ ὠδῖνες ἐπὶ πᾶσαν ὀσφύν καὶ τὸ πρόσωπον πάντων ὡς πρόσκαυμα χύτρας
Nineveh is empty, desolate, devastated, with faint heart and knocking knee. There is weakness in every limb, and faces grow pale.
11 ποῦ ἐστιν τὸ κατοικητήριον τῶν λεόντων καὶ ἡ νομὴ ἡ οὖσα τοῖς σκύμνοις οὗ ἐπορεύθη λέων τοῦ εἰσελθεῖν ἐκεῖ σκύμνος λέοντος καὶ οὐκ ἦν ὁ ἐκφοβῶν
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 λέων ἥρπασεν τὰ ἱκανὰ τοῖς σκύμνοις αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀπέπνιξεν τοῖς λέουσιν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔπλησεν θήρας νοσσιὰν αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ κατοικητήριον αὐτοῦ ἁρπαγῆς
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 ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἐπὶ σέ λέγει κύριος παντοκράτωρ καὶ ἐκκαύσω ἐν καπνῷ πλῆθός σου καὶ τοὺς λέοντάς σου καταφάγεται ῥομφαία καὶ ἐξολεθρεύσω ἐκ τῆς γῆς τὴν θήραν σου καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀκουσθῇ οὐκέτι τὰ ἔργα σου
‘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.’
