< Nehum 2 >
1 Onye na-ebuso gị agha na-abịakwasị gị. Chee ebe gị niile e wusiri ike nche. Chee ụzọ niile nche, mee ka ụkwụ gị sie ike nʼala. Chịkọtakwa ike gị niile.
The one who scatters has come to attack you! Guard the fortresses! Watch the roads! Get yourselves ready! Call every soldier out!
2 Onyenwe anyị ga-eme ka ịma mma Jekọb laghachi, dịka ịma mma nke Izrel ọ bụ ezie na ndị mbibi ebibiela ha, lakwaa alaka osisi vaịnị ha niile nʼiyi.
(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 Ọta ndị agha ya na-acha ọbara ọbara, ndị bụ dike nʼagha yikwa uwe na-acha uhie uhie. Igwe e ji wuo ụgbọ agha na-egbu amụma nʼụbọchị ahụ ha na-ejikere agha, otu a kwa, ha na-efegharịkwa ùbe ha eji osisi fịa mee.
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 Ụgbọ agha na-eme mkpọtụ dị ukwuu nʼezi, ha na-agbagharị ihu na azụ nʼama niile. Ha na-enwu dịka ire ọkụ, na-agbagharịkwa dịka amụma.
Chariots race madly through the streets, rushing back and forth across the town squares. Bright as torches, they dash like lightning flashes.
5 Ọ na-akpọkọta ndị agha ya a zụziri azụzi, ma ha na-asọ ngọngọ nʼije ha. Ha ji ọsọ gbaga ruo nʼelu mgbidi ha, dozie ọta nche ha niile nʼusoro.
He shouts orders to his officers. They stumble as they rush to attack the wall. The battering ram is set up.
6 Ma e megheela ọnụ ụzọ ama nke osimiri, ụlọeze na-amakwa jijiji.
The river gates are opened; the palace washes away.
7 E nyela ya ka ọ bụrụ iwu na obodo a aghaghị ịbụ obodo a dọtara nʼagha. Ndị ohu ha ndị inyom so ha nʼazụ na-akwa akwa dịka nduru, na-etikwa aka nʼobi.
“Queen” Nineveh is stripped, and led away into exile, with her servant girls mourning like doves, and beating their breasts.
8 Ninive dịka ọdọ mmiri nke mmiri ya na-ehifusị. “Kwụsị! Kwụsị!” ka ha na-ebe, ma ọ dịghị onye ga-ele anya nʼazụ.
Nineveh is a leaky pool—its population is like water running away. “Stop! Stop” people shout, but nobody turns back.
9 Kwakọrọnụ ọlaọcha, kwakọrọnụ ọlaedo dịka ihe a kwatara nʼagha. Akụnụba dị nʼụlọakụ ya na ihe ndị ọzọ bara uru nʼobodo ahụ, enweghị ọgwụgwụ.
Loot the silver! Loot the gold! There's an endless supply—an abundance of everything you could ever want.
10 E bibiela ya. A gbahapụla ya, hapụ ya ka ọ tọgbọrọ nʼefu. Obi ndị nọ nʼime ya na-alọ mmiri, ikpere ha niile na-ama jijiji, anụ ahụ ha niile na-amakwa jijiji, ihu niile achagharịakwala.
Deserted, destroyed, devastated! Hearts faint, knees tremble, stomachs ache. Everyone's faces turn pale.
11 Ebeekwa ka ọgba ọdụm ahụ dị ugbu a, bụ ebe ahụ ha na-anọ enye ụmụ ha nri, ebe oke ọdụm na nne ọdụm na-ejegharị, na ebe ụmụ ọdụm na-anọ na-atụghị egwu ihe ọbụla?
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 Ọdụm ahụ na-adọgbu anụ na-ezuru ụmụ ya, nke na-anyagburu nne ọdụm anụ, na-ekpoju anụ ọ dọgbutara nʼụlọ ya niile. Ebe obibi ya jupụtara nʼanụ ọ dọgburu.
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 “Edoola m onwe m imegide gị,” otu a ka Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile kwubiri, “Aga m esure ụgbọala gị niile nʼanwụrụ ọkụ, mma agha ga-ala ụmụ ọdụm gị niile nʼiyi. Agaghị m ahapụkwara gị anụ ọbụla ị ga-adọgbu nʼụwa. A gaghị anụkwa olu ndị ozi gị ọzọ.”
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.