Nahumu 2
1 Mshambuliaji anasogea dhidi yako, Ninawi. Linda ngome, chunga barabara, jitieni nguvu wenyewe, kusanya nguvu zako zote!
A crusher has come up before your face: keep a good look-out, let the way be watched, make yourself strong, let your power be greatly increased.
2 Bwana atarudisha fahari ya Yakobo, kama fahari ya Israeli, ingawa waangamizi wamewaacha ukiwa na wameharibu mizabibu yao.
For the Lord will make good the vine of Jacob, as well as the vine of Israel: for the wasters have made them waste and sent destruction on the branches of their vine.
3 Ngao za askari wake ni nyekundu, mashujaa wamevaa nguo nyekundu. Chuma kwenye magari ya vita chametameta, katika siku aliyoyaweka tayari, mikuki ya mierezi inametameta.
The body-covers of his fighting men have been made red, the men of war are clothed in bright red: the war-carriages are like flames of fire in the day when he gets ready, the horses are shaking.
4 Magari ya vita yanafanya msukosuko barabarani, yakikimbia nyuma na mbele uwanjani. Yanaonekana kama mienge ya moto; yanakwenda kasi kama umeme.
The war-carriages are rushing through the streets, pushing against one another in the wide ways, looking like burning lights, running like thunder-flames.
5 Anaita vikosi vilivyochaguliwa, lakini bado wanajikwaa njiani. Wanakimbilia haraka kwenye ukuta wa mji, ile ngao ya kuwakinga imetayarishwa.
He takes the record of his great men: they go falling on their way; they go quickly to the wall, the cover is made ready.
6 Malango ya mto yamefunguliwa wazi, na jumba la kifalme limeanguka.
The river doorways are forced open, and the king's house is flowing away.
7 Imeagizwa kwamba mji uchukuliwe na upelekwe uhamishoni. Vijakazi wake wanaomboleza kama hua na kupigapiga vifua vyao.
And the queen is uncovered, she is taken away and her servant-girls are weeping like the sound of doves, hammering on their breasts.
8 Ninawi ni kama dimbwi, nayo maji yake yanakauka. Wanalia, “Simama! Simama!” Lakini hakuna anayegeuka nyuma.
But Nineveh is like a pool of water whose waters are flowing away; Keep your place, they say; but no one is turning back.
9 Chukueni nyara za fedha! Chukueni nyara za dhahabu! Wingi wake hauna mwisho, utajiri kutoka hazina zake zote!
Take silver, take gold; for there is no end to the store; take for yourselves a weight of things to be desired.
10 Ameharibiwa, ametekwa nyara, ameachwa uchi! Mioyo inayeyuka, magoti yanalegea, miili inatetemeka, na kila uso umebadilika rangi.
Everything has been taken from her, all is gone, she has nothing more: the heart is turned to water, the knees are shaking, all are twisted in pain, and colour has gone from all faces.
11 Liko wapi sasa pango la simba, mahali ambapo waliwalisha watoto wao, ambapo simba dume na simba jike walikwenda na ambapo wana simba walikwenda bila kuogopa chochote?
Where is the lions' hole, the place where the young lions got their food, where the lion and the she-lion were walking with their young, without cause for fear?
12 Simba aliua mawindo ya kutosha watoto wake, alinyonga mawindo kwa ajili ya mwenzi wake, akijaza makao yake kwa alivyoua na mapango yake kwa mawindo.
Food enough for his young and for his she-lions was pulled down by the lion; his hole was full of flesh and his resting-place stored with meat.
13 Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote anatangaza, “Mimi ni kinyume na ninyi. Magari yenu ya vita nitayateketeza kwa moto, na upanga utakula wana simba wako. Sitawaachia mawindo juu ya nchi. Sauti za wajumbe wako hazitasikika tena.”
See, I am against you, says the Lord of armies, and I will have your war-carriages burned in the smoke, and your young lions will be food for the sword: you will no longer get your food by force on the earth, and the voice of your she-lions will be stopped for ever.
