Nahum 2:1–10

¹The shatterer has come up against you.

Man the ramparts;

watch the road;

gird your loins;

collect all your strength.

²(For the Lord is restoring the majesty of Jacob

as the majesty of Israel,

for plunderers have stripped them

and ruined their branches.)

³The shield of his mighty men is red,

his soldiers are clothed in scarlet.

The chariots flash like flame^h

when mustered in array;

the chargersⁱ prance.

⁴The chariots rage in the streets,

they rush to and fro through the squares;

they gleam like torches,

they dart like lightning.

⁵The officers are summoned,

they stumble as they go,

they hasten to the wall,

the mantelet is set up.

⁶The river gates are opened,

the palace is in dismay;

⁷its mistress^j is stripped, she is carried off,

her maidens lamenting,

moaning like doves,

and beating their breasts.

⁸Nineveh is like a pool

whose waters^k run away.

“Halt! Halt!” they cry;

but none turns back.

⁹Plunder the silver,

plunder the gold!

There is no end of treasure,

or wealth of every precious thing.

¹⁰Desolate! Desolation and ruin!

Hearts faint and knees tremble,

anguish is on all loins,

all faces grow pale!