Nahum Propheta 2
1 [Ascendit qui dispergat coram te, qui custodiat obsidionem: contemplare viam, conforta lumbos, robora virtutem valde.
The one who scatters has come to attack you! Guard the fortresses! Watch the roads! Get yourselves ready! Call every soldier out!
2 Quia reddidit Dominus superbiam Jacob, sicut superbiam Israël; quia vastatores dissipaverunt eos, et propagines eorum corruperunt.
(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 Clypeus fortium ejus ignitus, viri exercitus in coccineis; igneæ habenæ currus in die præparationis ejus, et agitatores consopiti sunt.
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 In itineribus conturbati sunt; quadrigæ collisæ sunt in plateis: aspectus eorum quasi lampades, quasi fulgura discurrentia.
Chariots race madly through the streets, rushing back and forth across the town squares. Bright as torches, they dash like lightning flashes.
5 Recordabitur fortium suorum; ruent in itineribus suis: velociter ascendent muros ejus, et præparabitur umbraculum.
He shouts orders to his officers. They stumble as they rush to attack the wall. The battering ram is set up.
6 Portæ fluviorum apertæ sunt, et templum ad solum dirutum.
The river gates are opened; the palace washes away.
7 Et miles captivus abductus est, et ancillæ ejus minabantur gementes ut columbæ, murmurantes in cordibus suis.
“Queen” Nineveh is stripped, and led away into exile, with her servant girls mourning like doves, and beating their breasts.
8 Et Ninive quasi piscina aquarum aquæ ejus; ipsi vero fugerunt. State, state! et non est qui revertatur.
Nineveh is a leaky pool—its population is like water running away. “Stop! Stop” people shout, but nobody turns back.
9 Diripite argentum, diripite aurum: et non est finis divitiarum ex omnibus vasis desiderabilibus.
Loot the silver! Loot the gold! There's an endless supply—an abundance of everything you could ever want.
10 Dissipata est, et scissa, et dilacerata; et cor tabescens, et dissolutio geniculorum, et defectio in cunctis renibus, et facies omnium eorum sicut nigredo ollæ.
Deserted, destroyed, devastated! Hearts faint, knees tremble, stomachs ache. Everyone's faces turn pale.
11 Ubi est habitaculum leonum, et pascua catulorum leonum, ad quam ivit leo ut ingrederetur illuc catulus leonis, et non est qui exterreat?
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 Leo cepit sufficienter catulis suis, et necavit leænis suis, et implevit præda speluncas suas, et cubile suum rapina.
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 Ecce ego ad te, dicit Dominus exercituum, et succendam usque ad fumum quadrigas tuas, et leunculos tuos comedet gladius, et exterminabo de terra prædam tuam, et non audietur ultra vox nuntiorum tuorum.]
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.
