5 Nineveh summons her picked troops,

yet they stumble on their way.

They dash to the city wall;

the protective shield is put in place.

6 The river gates are thrown open

and the palace collapses.

7 It is decreed that Nineveh

be exiled and carried away.

Her female slaves moan like doves

and beat on their breasts.

5 He remembers his officers;

they stumble as they go,

they hasten to the wall;

the siege tower is set up.

6 The river gates are opened;

the palace melts away;

7 its mistress is stripped; she is carried off,

her slave girls lamenting,

moaning like doves

and beating their breasts.

5 He shall recount his worthies:

They shall stumble in their walk;

They shall make haste to the wall thereof,

And the defence shall be prepared.

6 The gates of the rivers shall be opened,

And the palace shall be dissolved.

7 And Huzzab shall be led away captive, she shall be brought up,

And her maids shall lead her as with the voice of doves,

Tabering upon their breasts.

5 The king shouts to his officers;

they stumble in their haste,

rushing to the walls to set up their defenses.

6 The river gates have been torn open!

The palace is about to collapse!

7 Nineveh’s exile has been decreed,

and all the servant girls mourn its capture.

They moan like doves

and beat their breasts in sorrow.

5 He calls his officers,

but they stumble on the way.

They hurry to the city wall,

and the shield is put into place.

6 The river gates are thrown open,

and the palace is destroyed.

7 It has been announced that the people of Nineveh

will be captured and carried away.

The slave girls moan like doves

and beat their breasts, because they are sad.

5 He remembereth his nobles: they stumble in their march; they make haste to the wall thereof, and the mantelet is prepared. 6 The gates of the rivers are opened, and the palace is dissolved. 7 And it is decreed: she is uncovered, she is carried away; and her handmaids moan as with the voice of doves, beating upon their breasts.

5 He bethinketh him of his nobles: they stumble in their march; they make haste to the wall thereof, and the shelter is prepared. 6 The gates of the rivers are opened, and the palace melteth away. 7 And it is decreed: she shall be uncovered, she shall be led away, and her maids shall moan as with the voice of doves, drumming upon their breasts.

5 He remembers his best fighting men. 

They stumble over themselves as they march. 

They hurry to Nineveh’s wall. 

The shield has been set up for the battering ram. 

6 The gates of the rivers are opened, and the palace melts away. 

7 The Lord has determined: 

“It will be stripped. 

It will be carried away. 

Its young women will be mourning like doves 

as they beat their breasts.” 

5 He gives orders to his officers;

they stumble as they advance.

They race to its wall;

the protective shield is set in place.

6 The river gates are opened,

and the palace erodes away.

7 Beauty is stripped,

she is carried away;

her ladies-in-waiting moan

like the sound of doves,

and beat their breasts.

5 He calls his officers;

they stumble as they come forward;

they hasten to the wall,

and the mantelet is set up.

6 The river gates are opened,

the palace trembles.

7 It is decreed that the city be exiled,

its slave women led away,

moaning like doves

and beating their breasts.

5 He calls his officers;

they stumble as they march;

they rush to her wall;

they set the covering in place.

6 The gates of the river are opened;

the palace trembles.

7 Her goddess is taken out and taken into exile;

her maidservants moan like doves;

they beat on their breasts.

5 The commander of the attackers

sends for his special troops.

But they trip and fall on their way.

They run toward the city wall.

They keep their shield in front of them.

6 They open the gates that hold back

the waters of the river.

And the palace falls down.

7 The attackers order that the city’s people

be taken away as prisoners.

The female slaves cry like sad doves.

They beat their chests.

5 He remembers his nobles;

They stumble in their march,

They hurry to her wall,

And the mantelet is set up.

6 The gates of the rivers are opened

And the palace is dissolved.

7 It is fixed:

She is stripped, she is carried away,

And her handmaids are moaning like the sound of doves,

Beating on their breasts.