8 Are you better than Thebes,

situated on the Nile,

with water around her?

The river was her defense,

the waters her wall.

9 Cush and Egypt were her boundless strength;

Put and Libya were among her allies.

10 Yet she was taken captive

and went into exile.

Her infants were dashed to pieces

at every street corner.

Lots were cast for her nobles,

and all her great men were put in chains.

11 You too will become drunk;

you will go into hiding

and seek refuge from the enemy.

12 All your fortresses are like fig trees

with their first ripe fruit;

when they are shaken,

the figs fall into the mouth of the eater.

8 Art thou better than populous No,

That was situate among the rivers, that had the waters round about it,

Whose rampart was the sea, and her wall was from the sea?

9 Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength, and it was infinite;

Put and Lubim were thy helpers.

10 Yet was she carried away, she went into captivity:

Her young children also were dashed in pieces at the top of all the streets:

And they cast lots for her honourable men,

And all her great men were bound in chains.

11 Thou also shalt be drunken: thou shalt be hid,

Thou also shalt seek strength because of the enemy.

12 All thy strong holds shall be like fig trees with the firstripe figs:

If they be shaken, they shall even fall into the mouth of the eater.

8 Are you any better than the city of Thebes,

situated on the Nile River, surrounded by water?

She was protected by the river on all sides,

walled in by water.

9 Ethiopia and the land of Egypt

gave unlimited assistance.

The nations of Put and Libya

were among her allies.

10 Yet Thebes fell,

and her people were led away as captives.

Her babies were dashed to death

against the stones of the streets.

Soldiers threw dice to get Egyptian officers as servants.

All their leaders were bound in chains.

11 And you, Nineveh, will also stagger like a drunkard.

You will hide for fear of the attacking enemy.

12 All your fortresses will fall.

They will be devoured like the ripe figs

that fall into the mouths

of those who shake the trees.

8 Are you better than No Amon

That was situated by the River,

That had the waters around her,

Whose rampart was the sea,

Whose wall was the sea?

9 Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength,

And it was boundless;

Put and Lubim were your helpers.

10 Yet she was carried away,

She went into captivity;

Her young children also were dashed to pieces

At the head of every street;

They cast lots for her honorable men,

And all her great men were bound in chains.

11 You also will be drunk;

You will be hidden;

You also will seek refuge from the enemy.

12 All your strongholds are fig trees with ripened figs:

If they are shaken,

They fall into the mouth of the eater.

8 You are no better than Thebes,

who sits by the Nile River

with water all around her.

The river was her defense;

the waters were like a wall around her.

9 Cush and Egypt gave her endless strength;

Put and Libya supported her.

10 But Thebes was captured

and went into captivity.

Her small children were beaten to death

at every street corner.

Lots were thrown for her important men,

and all of her leaders were put in chains.

11 Nineveh, you will be drunk, too.

You will hide;

you will look for a place safe from the enemy.

12 All your defenses are like fig trees with ripe fruit.

When the tree is shaken, the figs fall into the mouth of the eater.

8 Art thou better than No-amon, that was situate among the rivers, that had the waters round about her; whose rampart was the sea, and her wall was of the sea? 9 Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength, and it was infinite; Put and Lubim were thy helpers. 10 Yet was she carried away, she went into captivity; her young children also were dashed in pieces at the head of all the streets; and they cast lots for her honorable men, and all her great men were bound in chains. 11 Thou also shalt be drunken; thou shalt be hid; thou also shalt seek a stronghold because of the enemy. 12 All thy fortresses shall be like fig-trees with the first-ripe figs: if they be shaken, they fall into the mouth of the eater.

8 Art thou better than No-Amon, that was situate among the rivers, that had the waters round about her, whose rampart was the sea, and of the sea was her wall? 9 Ethiopia was her strength, and Egypt, and it was infinite; Phut and the Libyans were her helpers. 10 She too was carried away, she went into captivity: her infants also were dashed in pieces, at the top of all the streets; and they cast lots for her honourable men, and all her great men were bound with chains. 11 Thou also shalt be drunken: thou shalt be hid; thou also shalt seek a refuge from the enemy. 12 All thy strongholds are like fig-trees with the first-ripe figs: if they be shaken, they even fall into the mouth of the eater.

8 Are you better than No-amon,which sits by the streams of the Nile 

with water surrounding her? 

The sea was ⸤her⸥ defense. 

The water was her wall. 

9 Sudan and Egypt were her endless strength. 

Put and the Lybians were her help. 

10 Even she went into captivity and was exiled. 

Even her little children were smashed to death at every street corner. 

Soldiers tossed dice for her important men, 

and all her best men were bound in chains. 

11 Even you, Nineveh, will stagger like a drunk. 

You will disappear. 

Even you will look for a fortress ⸤to escape⸥ from the enemy. 

12 All your defenses will be like fig trees with the earliest figs. 

When shaken, the figs fall into the mouth of the eater. 

8 Are you better than Thebes

that sat along the Nile

with water surrounding her,

whose rampart was the sea,

the river her wall?

9 Cush and Egypt were her endless source of strength;

Put and Libya were among her allies.

10 Yet she became an exile;

she went into captivity.

Her children were also dashed to pieces

at the head of every street.

They cast lots for her dignitaries,

and all her nobles were bound in chains.

11 You also will become drunk;

you will hide yourself.

You also will seek refuge from the enemy.

12 All your fortresses are fig trees

with figs that ripened first;

when shaken, they fall—

right into the mouth of the eater!

8 Are you better than Thebes

that sat by the Nile,

with water around her,

her rampart a sea,

water her wall?

9 Ethiopia was her strength,

Egypt too, and that without limit;

Put and the Libyans were her helpers.

10 Yet she became an exile,

she went into captivity;

even her infants were dashed in pieces

at the head of every street;

lots were cast for her nobles,

all her dignitaries were bound in fetters.

11 You also will be drunken,

you will go into hiding;

you will seek

a refuge from the enemy.

12 All your fortresses are like fig trees

with first-ripe figs—

if shaken they fall

into the mouth of the eater.

8 Are you better than Thebes?

She who sits at the Nile, surrounded by her waters,

her rampart was the sea and water was her wall.

9 Cush was her strength, Egypt without end;

Put and Libya were among your allies.

10 Yet she went into captivity as an exile;

her children were dashed to pieces at the head of all the streets.

They cast lots for her nobles;

all of her dignitaries were bound with chains.

11 You also will behave like a drunkard;

You also will hide yourself;

You also will seek refuge from the enemy.

12 All of your fortifications are like fig trees with ripe firstfruits—

if they are shaken, they will fall into the mouth of the eater.

8 Nineveh, are you better than Thebes

on the Nile River?

There was water all around that city.

The river helped to keep it safe.

The waters were like a wall around it.

9 Cush and Egypt gave it all of the strength it needed.

Put and Libya also helped it.

10 But Thebes was captured anyway.

Its people were taken away as prisoners.

Its babies were smashed to pieces

at every street corner.

The Assyrian soldiers cast lots

for all of its great leaders.

They put them in chains

and made slaves out of them.

11 People of Nineveh, you too will get drunk.

You will try to hide from your enemies.

You will look for a place of safety.

12 All of your forts are like fig trees

that have their first ripe fruit on them.

When the trees are shaken,

the figs fall into the mouths

of those who eat them.

8 Are you better than No-amon,

Which was situated by the waters of the Nile,

With water surrounding her,

Whose rampart was the sea,

Whose wall consisted of the sea?

9 Ethiopia was her might,

And Egypt too, without limits.

Put and Lubim were among her helpers.

10 Yet she became an exile,

She went into captivity;

Also her small children were dashed to pieces

At the head of every street;

They cast lots for her honorable men,

And all her great men were bound with fetters.

11 You too will become drunk,

You will be hidden.

You too will search for a refuge from the enemy.

12 All your fortifications are fig trees with ripe fruit—

When shaken, they fall into the eater’s mouth.