Chapter 2

1 The 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.)

3 The shield of his mighty men is red,

his soldiers are clothed in scarlet.

The chariots flash like flameh

when mustered in array;

the chargersi prance.

4 The chariots rage in the streets,

they rush to and fro through the squares;

they gleam like torches,

they dart like lightning.

5 The officers are summoned,

they stumble as they go,

they hasten to the wall,

the mantelet is set up.

6 The river gates are opened,

the palace is in dismay;

7 its mistressj is stripped, she is carried off,

her maidens lamenting,

moaning like doves,

and beating their breasts.

8 Nineveh is like a pool

whose watersk run away.

“Halt! Halt!” they cry;

but none turns back.

9 Plunder the silver,

plunder the gold!

There is no end of treasure,

or wealth of every precious thing.

10 Desolate! Desolation and ruin!

Hearts faint and knees tremble,

anguish is on all loins,

all faces grow pale!

11 Where is the lions’ den,

the cavel of the young lions,

where the lion brought his prey,

where his cubs were, with none to disturb?

12 The lion tore enough for his whelps

and strangled prey for his lionesses;

he filled his caves with prey

and his dens with torn flesh.

13 Behold, I am against you, says the Lord of hosts, and I will burn your* chariots in smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions; I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers shall no more be heard.