נַחוּם 2

1 עָלָ֥ה מֵפִ֛יץ עַל־פָּנַ֖יִךְ נָצֹ֣ור מְצֻרָ֑ה צַפֵּה־דֶ֙רֶךְ֙ חַזֵּ֣ק מָתְנַ֔יִם אַמֵּ֥ץ כֹּ֖חַ מְאֹֽד׃

The one who scatters has come to attack you! Guard the fortresses! Watch the roads! Get yourselves ready! Call every soldier out!

2 כִּ֣י שָׁ֤ב יְהוָה֙ אֶת־גְּאֹ֣ון יַעֲקֹ֔ב כִּגְאֹ֖ון יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּ֤י בְקָקוּם֙ בֹּֽקְקִ֔ים וּזְמֹרֵיהֶ֖ם שִׁחֵֽתוּ׃

(For the Lord will restore the splendor of the people of Jacob as he will restore the splendor of Israel, for invaders have plundered them, and destroyed their land.)

3 מָגֵ֨ן גִּבֹּרֵ֜יהוּ מְאָדָּ֗ם אַנְשֵׁי־חַ֙יִל֙ מְתֻלָּעִ֔ים בְּאֵשׁ־פְּלָדֹ֥ות הָרֶ֖כֶב בְּיֹ֣ום הֲכִינֹ֑ו וְהַבְּרֹשִׁ֖ים הָרְעָֽלוּ׃

The shields of his chief soldiers are red; the warriors wear scarlet. His chariots flash like fire in the sunlight as he prepares for battle. Spears with their wooden shafts are held up and shaken.

4 בַּֽחוּצֹות֙ יִתְהֹולְל֣וּ הָרֶ֔כֶב יִֽשְׁתַּקְשְׁק֖וּן בָּרְחֹבֹ֑ות מַרְאֵיהֶן֙ כַּלַּפִּידִ֔ם כַּבְּרָקִ֖ים יְרֹוצֵֽצוּ׃

Chariots race madly through the streets, rushing back and forth across the town squares. Bright as torches, they dash like lightning flashes.

5 יִזְכֹּר֙ אַדִּירָ֔יו יִכָּשְׁל֖וּ בַהֲלִכֹותָם (בַּהֲלִֽיכָתָ֑ם) יְמַֽהֲרוּ֙ חֹֽומָתָ֔הּ וְהֻכַ֖ן הַסֹּכֵֽךְ׃

He shouts orders to his officers. They stumble as they rush to attack the wall. The battering ram is set up.

6 שַׁעֲרֵ֥י הַנְּהָרֹ֖ות נִפְתָּ֑חוּ וְהַֽהֵיכָ֖ל נָמֹֽוג׃

The river gates are opened; the palace washes away.

7 וְהֻצַּ֖ב גֻּלְּתָ֣ה הֹֽעֲלָ֑תָה וְאַמְהֹתֶ֗יהָ מְנַֽהֲגֹות֙ כְּקֹ֣ול יֹונִ֔ים מְתֹפְפֹ֖ת עַל־לִבְבֵהֶֽן׃

“Queen” Nineveh is stripped, and led away into exile, with her servant girls mourning like doves, and beating their breasts.

8 וְנִינְוֵ֥ה כִבְרֵֽכַת־מַ֖יִם מִ֣ימֵי הִ֑יא וְהֵ֣מָּה נָסִ֔ים עִמְד֥וּ עֲמֹ֖דוּ וְאֵ֥ין מַפְנֶֽה׃

Nineveh is a leaky pool—its population is like water running away. “Stop! Stop” people shout, but nobody turns back.

9 בֹּ֥זּוּ כֶ֖סֶף בֹּ֣זּוּ זָהָ֑ב וְאֵ֥ין קֵ֙צֶה֙ לַתְּכוּנָ֔ה כָּבֹ֕ד מִכֹּ֖ל כְּלִ֥י חֶמְדָּֽה׃

Loot the silver! Loot the gold! There's an endless supply—an abundance of everything you could ever want.

10 בּוּקָ֥ה וּמְבוּקָ֖ה וּמְבֻלָּקָ֑ה וְלֵ֨ב נָמֵ֜ס וּפִ֣ק בִּרְכַּ֗יִם וְחַלְחָלָה֙ בְּכָל־מָתְנַ֔יִם וּפְנֵ֥י כֻלָּ֖ם קִבְּצ֥וּ פָארֽוּר׃

Deserted, destroyed, devastated! Hearts faint, knees tremble, stomachs ache. Everyone's faces turn pale.

11 אַיֵּה֙ מְעֹ֣ון אֲרָיֹ֔ות וּמִרְעֶ֥ה ה֖וּא לַכְּפִרִ֑ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָלַךְ֩ אַרְיֵ֨ה לָבִ֥יא שָׁ֛ם גּ֥וּר אַרְיֵ֖ה וְאֵ֥ין מַחֲרִֽיד׃

Where now is the lion's den? Where is the place where the young lions used to feed? Where is the lion, and the lioness, and the lion cub that were afraid of no one?

12 אַרְיֵ֤ה טֹרֵף֙ בְּדֵ֣י גֹֽרֹותָ֔יו וּמְחַנֵּ֖ק לְלִבְאֹתָ֑יו וַיְמַלֵּא־טֶ֣רֶף חֹרָ֔יו וּמְעֹֽנֹתָ֖יו טְרֵפָֽה׃

The lion tears apart meat for his cubs, and strangles prey for his lionesses. He fills his den with prey, his lair with carcasses.

13 הִנְנִ֣י אֵלַ֗יִךְ נְאֻם֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָאֹ֔ות וְהִבְעַרְתִּ֤י בֶֽעָשָׁן֙ רִכְבָּ֔הּ וּכְפִירַ֖יִךְ תֹּ֣אכַל חָ֑רֶב וְהִכְרַתִּ֤י מֵאֶ֙רֶץ֙ טַרְפֵּ֔ךְ וְלֹֽא־יִשָּׁמַ֥ע עֹ֖וד קֹ֥ול מַלְאָכֵֽכֵה׃ ס

Watch out! For I am against you, declares the Lord Almighty. I will set fire to your chariots and they will go up in smoke. Your strong young men will be killed by the sword. I will stop you plundering other peoples. The demands of your ambassadors will no longer be heard.