Nakkumu 3
1 Zikusanze ggwe ekibuga eky’omusaayi! Kyonna ekijjudde eby’obulimba n’obunyazi, ekitaggwaamu banyagiddwa.
Terrible things will happen to [Nineveh], that city [that is full of people who] murder [MTY] and lie. [The city is] full of things that were seized [from other countries by their soldiers]; [their armies] continually [LIT] have acted brutally towards people whom they conquered.
2 Muwulire okuvuga kw’embooko, n’okuvuuma kwa namuziga z’amagaali n’ebigere by’embalaasi nga bwe bivuga n’amagaali nga gakubaganira mu nguudo!
But [now listen to the enemy soldiers coming to attack Nineveh]; [listen to them] cracking their whips, and [listen to the] rattle of [their chariot] wheels! [Listen to] their galloping horses and their chariots as they bounce along!
3 Laba eggye ery’embalaasi erirumba, n’ebitala ebitemagana, n’amafumu agamyansa. Abatuukiddwako ebisago nga bayitirivu, ne ntuumu ennene ez’emirambo egitamanyiddwa muwendo; abantu bagirinnyirira.
[Look at their] flashing swords and glittering spears as the horsemen race forward! Many [people of Nineveh will be] killed; [there will be] piles of corpses, [with the result that] people will stumble over them.
4 Bino byonna biri bityo kubanga Nineeve yeeweerayo ddala okwetunda eri abalabe ba Katonda obutasalako, nga malaaya omukulu, kye kibuga ekikyaamu ekitali kyesigwa ekyawubisa ebirala, omukulu w’obufumu, ekyafuula amawanga abaddu baakyo olw’obwamalaaya bwakyo, n’olw’obulogo bwakyo.
All [that will happen] because [Nineveh is like] [MET] a beautiful prostitute [who lures men to where they will be ruined]; [Nineveh is a beautiful city] which has attracted/enticed [people of] other nations [to come there]. [The people of Nineveh] taught those people [of other nations rituals of] magic, and caused them to become their slaves.
5 “Laba nkwolekedde,” bw’ayogera Mukama ow’Eggye, “era nditikka engoye zo ne zidda ku mutwe gwo. Ensi zonna ziriraba obwereere bwo n’obwakabaka bwonna bulabe ensonyi zo.
[So] the Commander of the armies of angels says to [the people of Nineveh]: “I am your enemy, and I will [cause the people in other] nations to see you [completely] humiliated like [MET] [women who have committed adultery are humiliated by] having their skirts lifted high, [with the result that] people can see their naked [bodies].
6 Ndikukanyugira kazambi, era ndikufuula ekyenyinyalwa ne nkufuula eky’okwelolera.
I will cause rubbish/garbage to be thrown at you; I will show [others] that I despise you very much, and I will cause you to be publicly ridiculed.
7 Awo bonna abalikutunuulira balikwesamba ne bagamba nti, ‘Nineeve kifuuse matongo, ani anakikungubagira?’ Abalikikubagiza baliva wa?”
All those who see you will turn their backs to you and say, ‘Nineveh is ruined, but absolutely no one [RHQ] will mourn for it.’ No one will regret Nineveh being destroyed!”
8 Ggwe Nineeve ggw’osinga Tebesi ekyali kizimbiddwa ku mugga Kiyira ng’amazzi gakyetoolodde okukikuuma ku njuyi zonna? Olukomera lwakyo gwali mugga era amazzi ge gaali bbugwe waakyo.
Your city is certainly [RHQ] no safer than Thebes [city] was. [Thebes was an important city] beside the Nile [River]; the river was [like] [SIM] a wall that protected the city [DOU].
9 Esiyopya ne Misiri ze zaakiwagiranga. Ate nga Abapuuti n’ab’omu Libiya nabo nga bakiyamba.
[The rulers of] Ethiopia and Egypt helped Thebes; there was no limit to their power. [The governments of the nearby countries of] Put and Libya were also allies of Thebes.
10 Kyawambibwa, ne kitwalibwa mu buwaŋŋanguse. Abaana bwakyo abawere babetentebwa mu ntandikwa ya buli luguudo. Abakungu baakyo baakubirwa obululu, n’abasajja be ab’amaanyi baasibibwa mu njegere.
But Thebes was captured, and [its people were] (exiled/forced to go to other countries). Their babies were dashed to pieces in the streets [of the city]. [Enemy soldiers] (cast lots/threw small marked stones) to decide who would get each official in Thebes [to become his slave]. All the leaders of Thebes were fastened/tied by chains.
11 Nineeve naawe olitamiira, olyekweka ng’onoonya obuddukiro owone omulabe wo.
You [people of Nineveh] will similarly become dazed and drunk, and you will search for places to hide [to escape] from your enemies.
12 Ebigo byo byonna biri ng’emitiini egiriko ebibala ebisooka okwengera; bwe ginyeenyezebwa ne bigwa mu kamwa k’oyo anaabirya.
[Your enemies will cause] the walls around your city to fall down like [SIM] the first figs that fall from fig trees [each year]. [Your city will be captured easily, like] [MET] [figs that fall] into the mouths [HYP] of those who shake the fig trees.
13 Laba abalwanyi bammwe balinafuwa ne batiitiira ng’abakazi. Enzigi z’ensi yo nzigule eri abalabe bo. Era omuliro gwokezza emikiikiro gyazo.
Look at your soldiers! They will be [as weak/helpless as] [MET] women! The gates of your city will be opened wide [to allow] your enemies [to enter them], [and then] the bars of those gates will be burned.
14 Weenyweze bajja kukulumba! Weeterekere ku mazzi g’onoonywako. Nyweza ebisenge byo. Noonya ettaka olisambe oddaabirize ekisenge eky’amatoffaali.
Store up water [now to use when] your enemies surround the city! Repair the forts! Dig up clay and trample it [to make it soft], and put it into molds to make bricks [to repair the walls]!
15 Omuliro gulikulya, ekitala kirikuzikiriza. Wenna oliriibwa ng’enzige bwe zirya ebirime. Mweyongere obungi ng’enseenene, mwale ng’enzige.
[Nevertheless, your enemies] will burn your [city]; they will kill you with their swords; they will kill you like [SIM] locusts [destroy crops].
16 Mwongedde ku bungi bwa basuubuzi bammwe okusinga emmunyeenye ez’oku ggulu. Naye ensi baligikaza okufaanana ng’enzige bwe zimalawo ensi ne ziryoka zibuuka.
In your [city] there are now very many merchants; [it seems that] there are more of them than there are stars. But [when your city is being destroyed, those merchants will take the valuable things and disappear] [like] [SIM] locusts that strip the leaves from plants and [then] fly away.
17 Abakuumi bammwe bali ng’enzige, n’abakungu bammwe ng’ebibinja by’enzige ezibeera ku bisenge ku lunaku olw’obutiti. Enjuba bw’evaayo zibuuka ne ziraga etamanyiddwa.
Your leaders are [also] like a swarm of [SIM] locusts [DOU] that crowd together on the stone fences/walls on a cold day, and [then] fly away when the sun comes up, and no one knows where they have gone.
18 Abasumba bo nga babongoota, ggwe kabaka wa Bwasuli, n’abakungu abeekitiibwa bagalamidde nga bawumuddeko. Abantu bo basaasaanira ku nsozi nga tewali n’omu abakuŋŋaanya.
O King of Assyria, your officials will [all] be dead [EUP]; your important people will lie down and rest [forever]. Your people will be scattered over the mountains, and there will no one to gather them [together].
19 Tewali kisobola kuwonya kiwundu kyo ekinene bwe kityo. Bonna abawulira ebikuguddeko bakuba bukubi mu ngalo olw’okugwa kwo. Ani ataakosebwa olw’ettima lyo eringi? Kubanga muntu ki ataatuusibwako bukambwe bwo obwa buli kakedde?
You [are like someone who] has a wound that cannot be healed; [it will be] a wound that causes him to die. And all those who hear about what has happened to you will clap their hands [joyfully]. [They will say, ] “Everyone has [RHQ] suffered because he continually was [very] cruel to us.”
