Nehumi 2
1 Ko ia ʻoku laiki kuo ʻalu hake ʻi ho ʻao: toʻo ʻae mahafu, leʻohi ʻae hala, nonoʻo ho kongaloto, fakalahi ʻaupito hoʻo mālohi.
Nineveh! The destroyer has come up against you; mount guard upon the rampart; watch the road; brace yourselves; strengthen your might to the utmost.
2 He kuo liliu ʻe Sihova ʻae nāunau ʻo Sēkope, hangē ko e nāunau ʻo ʻIsileli: he kuo ohu kinautolu kituʻa ʻe he kau ohu, mo maumauʻi honau ngaahi vaʻa vaine.
For the Lord is restoring the majesty of Jacob and of Israel, though the devastators have plundered them and destroyed their vines.
3 He kuo ngaohi ke kulokula ʻae pā ʻo ʻene kau tangata mālohi, ʻoku kofu kulaʻahoʻaho ʻa ʻene kau toʻa: ʻe ʻi ai ʻae ngaahi tūhulu vela, mo e ngaahi saliote ʻi he ʻaho ʻo ʻene teuteu, pea ʻe ngalulululu fakamanavahē ʻae ngaahi ʻakau ko e fea.
The shields of his warriors are dyed red, his soldiers are clothed in scarlet, his chariots gleam like fire on the day he prepares for battle spears are shaken.
4 ʻE ʻoho ʻae ngaahi saliote ʻi he ngaahi hala, te nau fepaki ʻae taha ki he taha, ʻi he ngaahi hala laulahi: te nau hā mai ʻo tatau mo e ngaahi tūhulu, te nau lele hangē ko e ʻuhila.
Chariots rush across the fields, storm through the squares; they flame like torches, they dart like lightening.
5 Te ne toe lau ʻene kau tangata tuʻu ki muʻa: te nau tōhumu ʻi heʻenau laka; te nau vave atu ki hono ʻā, pea ko e tali tau ʻe teuteu.
A leader rallies his nobles, they hurl themselves forward. They speed on toward the wall; the storming-shield is set up.
6 ʻE fakaava ʻae ngaahi matapā ʻoe ngaahi vaitafe, pea ʻe ʻauha ʻae fale fakaʻeiʻeiki.
The water-gates are thrown open, and the palace dissolves in ruins.
7 Pea ʻe taki ʻa Husapi ki he pōpula, ʻe puke ia ʻo ʻomi, pea ʻe taki ia ʻe heʻene kau kaunanga, kae tangi ʻo hangē ʻae fanga lupe, mo tasipi ki honau fatafata.
The queen is stripped, she is carried off. Her maids moan like doves, beating upon their breasts.
8 Ka e talu mei muʻa mo e tatau ʻa Ninive mo e anovai, ka te nau hola atu. Te nau kalanga, “Tuʻu, tuʻu;” ka e ʻikai ha tokotaha ʻe sio ki mui.
Like a pool of water is Nineveh, her waters fast ebbing away. “Stand firm! Stand firm!” someone cries, but no one turns back.
9 Mou ʻave ʻae ngaahi meʻa vetekina, ko e siliva, mou ʻave ʻae ngaahi meʻa vetekina, ko e koula: he ʻoku ʻikai hono ngata ʻoe koloa mo e nāunau mei he ngaahi meʻa teuteu matamatalelei.
“Loot the silver, loot the gold, for there is no end to the treasure, the wealth and precious things.”
10 ʻOku ne ʻatā, mo ngaongao mo lala: pea ʻoku vaivai ʻae loto, pea ʻoku fehapeaki ʻae ongo tui, pea ʻoku lahi ʻae langa ʻi he ngaahi kongaloto kotoa pē, pea ʻoku ʻuliʻuli honau mata kotoa pē.
Nineveh is empty, desolate, devastated, with faint heart and knocking knee. There is weakness in every limb, and faces grow pale.
11 Ko faʻa ʻae potu nofoʻanga ʻoe fanga laione, mo e keinangaʻanga ʻoe fanga laione mui, ʻaia naʻe ʻalu ai ʻae laione, ʻio, ʻae laione motuʻa mo e ʻuhikiʻi laione, pea naʻe ʻikai fakamanavahēʻi kinautolu ʻe ha niʻihi?
Where now is the den of lions? Where now the lair of their young? Where the lion used to withdraw, with his cubs, with none to disturb them?
12 Naʻe haehae ʻe he laione ke taau mo ʻene fānau, pea ne sisinaʻi maʻa hono fanga laione fefine, pea naʻe fakapito hono ngaahi luo ʻi he meʻakai, mo hono ngaahi ʻana ʻaki ʻae meʻa kuo fakamālohia.
The lion tore enough for his cubs, and strangled prey for his lionesses. He filled his caves with the kill, he filled his lairs with fresh meat.
13 ʻOku pehē ʻe Sihova ʻoe ngaahi kautau, “Vakai, ʻoku ou tuʻu kiate koe, pea te u tutu ʻa ʻene ngaahi saliote ʻi he ʻahu, pea ʻe fakaʻauha ʻe he heletā ʻae fanga laione mui: pea te u motuhi hoʻo meʻakai mei māmani, pea ko e leʻo ʻo ho kau talafekau ʻe ʻikai ha toe fanongo ki ai.”
“But see, I am against you,” the Lord of hosts declares, “I will burn your chariots in smoke and fire. The sword will devour your young lions. You will never again prey on the land. No more will your messengers be heard.”
